


No Dawn, No Day (I'm Always In This Twilight)

by MyJediLife



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: And so he shall get it, Ben Solo Deserved Better, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo didn't die, Ben Solo is a Mess, Cute Kids, F/M, He's just hanging out til the wife comes and gets him, JJ Did us wrong, Mentions of Pregnancy, Post TROS Fix, Pregnancy, Redeemed Ben Solo, Resurrection, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey Solo, Reylo Children, Reylo all the waylo, Reylo is canon, Uncle Luke is helpful for once, World Between Worlds, the ending we all deserved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:34:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21914524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: He is everywhere, and everything, all at once.He is all times, all places.And so he waits.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 117
Kudos: 306
Collections: TROS Reylo Fix-it Fics, The Rise of Skywalker: Fix-It Fic Edition, The Thirst Order - TWD House Swolo





	1. The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out - You left me in the dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [koderenn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/koderenn/gifts).



> For Irene, a good friend and author of my favorite fic of all time - Forbidden.
> 
> My friend, I know your soul aches right now, and I know you mourn Ben Solo like the rest of us.
> 
> You deserve the happy ending he should have gotten. 
> 
> Come home soon. <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/j2Y63IP)

He was everywhere, yet nowhere at once. 

He was a collection of cells, coming together to form a living being. He was a newborn, being rocked to sleep by his mother.

He was every time, every place.

He was six, and sitting in Han’s lap as he piloted the Falcon, laughing and putting his hand on his father’s larger one as he pressed buttons. He looked over at his Uncle Chewbacca, who threw his head back and growled in Shyriiwook.  _ You will be good pilot like friend, Little Starfighter. _

He was nine, and spending his first night at his Uncle’s academy. Scared, crying himself to sleep.

Voices, whispering in his head. Telling him he wasn’t enough, that he wasn’t as good as Vader. They promised him things - things that would make any young, impressionable man want to believe that they would come true for him.

He was in a forest in Takodana, and she was the sun, shining before him.

_ Wait for me, Rey. I’m still here. Feel me.  _

Ben sent out energy through the Force, hoping to reach Rey.

He was standing beside her, dressed in Senator’s robes, and she was smiling up at him, a smile so pure and full of love it made the space where his heart had once rested ache, if that was possible wherever it was - whatever he was now.

He was watching his children being born, the smile on his face tender and full of love as he watched Rey cuddle their first born to her breast before whispering his name.  _ Ryden Luke. _ Their next son came only a few minutes later, as Ben was smiling down at his son.  _ Braxis Han. _ And just when he thought he couldn’t be happier, when he thought he was truly complete, came another treasure a few moments later. Their daughter -  _ Leia Rose. _

He was standing in a forest once more, watching their children play, an infant cradled in his arms as he guided their triplets in learning how to control their Force powers, his wife - his soulmate - beside him, her hand on his arm as she laughed in delight.

Then he heard her voice, a tiny whisper in all the times, in all the places…

_ Be with me. _

And Ben answered, hoping she would hear him once more.

_ I am, Rey. Always. _

He was everywhere, yet nowhere at once. He was every time, every place.

All he could do was watch and wait. His Rey would come for him. He was certain of it.

….

Rey looked down at the sand, sighing as she lifted her face to the blistering sun. Her life had truly began in the sand, and she supposed it was a good way to put her heart to rest as well. She would bury it, deep in the sand along with the Skywalker twins lightsabers, and then she would walk away and never return.

She would try to rebuild with what she had left. The Falcon, BB-8… and what was left of her soul.

Putting the cloth containing the lightsabers down on the sand, Rey took a moment to silently say goodbye to Luke and Leia - two people who had been some of the first to show her that family were the people you allow into your life - not the people who you were born to.

Now, of course, she knew the truth. Her parents had done what they needed to do to keep her safe, to keep her away from the evil that was her own grandfather. A shudder ran through her as she thought about Sheev Palpatine, his hideous face leering down at her. Killing him had been a good thing, Rey knew - but look at the cost.

_ Luke… Leia… _

_ Ben. _

Even now she could feel the hole in her very soul, the hole that had been filled by Ben her entire life. It was an empty, aching wound that would never heal. She could still picture the way he smiled at him - a true smile, one filled with all the love he had in his heart for her. She could feel the way his lips felt under hers, so soft and warm. She had felt all the love he felt for her through their bond in that moment - and then it faded away, like grains of sand through someone’s hands.

She loved him. She had loved him from the moment she saw him, and she knew he had loved her as well. The way he had looked at her, the way he had held her so tenderly - the way he had given his life for hers. 

With a sigh, Rey watched as the sabers sank into the sand, never to be found again. Movement behind her made her turn, her eyes meeting those of an old woman, on her way home, her goods loaded on a pack animal behind her.

“Haven’t seen anyone in these parts for a long time! Who are you?” The woman asked, looking at Rey curiously.

Squinting in the sun, Rey answered, “I’m Rey.”

“Rey who?”

Rey let a small smile drift to her lips as she realized she could now be whomever she wanted to be before answering.

“Rey Solo.”

….

“We won. We won, Ben. I… I wish you were here. I miss you. There’s so much we could be doing right now. Travelling the galaxy. Teaching new Jedi… I… I built a new saber. I took parts from Luke and Leia’s, and I built a new saber. It’s all mine, and I think you’d be proud of me.”

Rey clutched the shirt in her hands, letting her fingers trace over the fabric that had once rested upon Ben’s skin. He had been gone for several weeks now, and each day had been much the same for her.

Smile for her friends. Act like she was okay. Go back to the Falcon. Mourn. Cry until she was dried up. Fall asleep with Ben’s shirt clutched to her heart.

No one would understand. No one knew the sacrifice Ben had made for her. For the Galaxy.

But she knew. And she would do her best to live up to the name she had taken. His name. The name she was certain she would have some day if Ben were alive.

“No one’s ever really gone, you know.”

Rey turned at the sound of the familiar voice, watching as Luke sat down behind the dejarik table of the Falcon. "Master Skywalker." Crossing the room after tucking Ben's shirt away, Rey slid into the seat across from him. 

"You mourn him. Ben." Luke said softly, looking at Rey tenderly.

"Yes. That's what happens when you love someone. When they are your soulmate. Ben and I… we were, you know. We were soulmates, and I'll never be whole again." Rey couldn’t keep the tear that streaked down her face at the mention of Ben.

….

_ Someone was cradling her in their arms. Her eyes opened, and a smile came to her face. _

_ “Ben.” _

_ She lifted her head, finally doing what she had wanted to do since the day they met. Their lips met, and Rey let all her feelings flow through their bond. Her hand touched his face, traced along the place his scar had once rested. She had done that, she had taken his scar from him, and now he was the man he had always been destined to be. _

_ Ben Solo. _

_ She pulled away, but Ben pulled her back, his eyes taking her in, memorizing her face. “I love you.” Her heart sang, the words flowing through their bond and into her head, like the most beautiful song she had ever heard. “Rey, I love you.” _

_ “I love you, too, Ben. I always have.” Rey spoke back to him through the bond, the smile that came to his lips was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The light in him, in their bond, was so bright now, and Rey saw in that moment how she had healed more than the scars on his body. She had healed his soul, as well. All the cracks and cuts that had threatened to tear him apart as Kylo Ren were gone, leaving behind a pure, brilliant and unfractured soul. _

_ It was a beautiful thing to witness, and Rey wanted to bathe in their victory for a long time to come. She wanted to travel the galaxy, to let Ben teach her everything she had longed to know her entire life. More than anything, she wanted Ben by her side for the rest of her life. _

_ “I want the same sweetheart, I do… but…” Ben’s voice trailed off, his eyes growing vacant as the life left his body. She felt his Force signature grow dim, then fade away as his body faded, leaving behind only a pile of clothing. _

_ “No….” Rey said, tears streaming down her face as she gathered the clothing to her, burying her nose in the cloth to inhale the scent of her love. Getting to her feet, she made her way to Luke’s X Wing, tears making it hard to find her path sometime as she kept the last scraps of Ben Solo clutched closely to her. _

….

“Ready for another lesson, Padawan?” Luke gave Rey a smile, and Rey nodded.

“Yes, Master.”

Luke stood, his hands clasping behind his back as he paced the familiar durasteel floor of the Millenium Falcon. “No one is ever really gone. Close your eyes. Reach for the Force. Let it curl around you, surround everything.”

Luke watched Rey as she fell into an all too familiar position, her breathing evening out as she fell into the Force. Finally, when he was sure it was encompassing her, he stated simply, “Reach out for Ben, Rey. Can you sense him? Search in your soul, in that empty space that belongs to him. What do you feel?”

“I…” Rey’s voice trailed off as she heeded her Master’s wish, falling into the Force, letting it flow through her veins like liquid power, like life itself. She poked at the sore spot in her being, the hole in her soul that Ben had occupied. Not finding anything but a trace of him, she fell farther, pulling back when she heard a garbled, twisted whisper -  _ Rey. _ Pulling back, her eyes flew open, her hand going to her mouth in shock as she realized what Luke was trying to tell her.

“How, Master Skywalker? How… I… I  _ felt _ him. His  _ essence _ . But it was… weak. It felt like it was galaxies away. I could barely sense him, but he felt me as well. He said my name, I know he did.” Tears were once more streaking down her face as she looked into the eyes of her old Master.

_ Ben isn’t gone! Ben is still out there! _

“I’ll let Leia explain when she comes for a visit. There is a lot you need to learn, Rey. I have a mission for you.” Luke looked her over, in awe once more about the power contained within her. Of course, Rey’s power had come from an evil and twisted man - but Rey and Ben had turned that power into something beautiful. Something raw and good and pure. Leia had seen it, too, which was why her last sacrifice in this life had been to make sure her son’s soul could go on. Leia had seen what Rey meant to Ben, what they were together, and she knew that her sacrifice would make sure that could happen.

“A… mission? Master Skywalker… I need… I need to find out where Ben is. I need to go to him. To help him.” Rey was almost panicked as she answered Luke, her eyes darted towards the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon.

“Rey. Where Ben is, where his essence rests… you need more training to even be able to access it. Have you ever heard of the World Between Worlds?” Luke’s voice was patient, and even kind, as he watched Rey in an almost panicked state, her signature in the Force fluctuating with her feelings.

“W-world Between Worlds? B-Ben isn’t… he isn’t here? I… I’m confused, Luke.” Rey looked at her old Master, trying to calm herself down. Ben needed her to be at her best, and Rey would do anything to bring him back.

“Think of the world between worlds as being just that. It’s everywhere and everything all at once. The past, the future, the present. All planes. All galaxies. Within it, there are doors that can be opened. Ben is in there, Rey. He’s in there, and he’s waiting for you to come get him.”

Rey’s eyes widened, one hand coming up to rest over her heart. “H-How do you know? How do you know that is where he is?”

Luke just snorted derisively in answer. “Force ghost here. We know things.”

A trail of tears tracked down Rey’s cheeks, her eyes closing for a moment as her heart clenched in her chest. She knew Master Luke was right, somehow. She could feel Ben, faint but present within the bond they had. Perhaps she had let her grief at losing him blind her to his presence. After a moment of silence, and a moment in which Rey reached out through the Force to send a message to her bondmate.  _ I know, Ben. I know you’re out there. I’m coming.  _ Finally, she opened her eyes, looking at Luke before inclining her head respectfully. “Whatever it takes, Master Skywalker.”

“There is a world called Tython...”

“Yes,” Rey replied as she looked to the shelf that held the Jedi texts. “I read about it once. The birthplace of the Jedi Order.”

“It is a place of great reverence and power. Power that you will need.” Luke stood and paced for a moment, eyeing Rey. “I am not certain what the Masters of the Jeda’ii Order will put you through, Rey. But they are the key to you finding the door to bring Ben back. May The Force Be With You. Always.”

Luke’s visage faded, leaving Rey with more questions than answers - which was normal when dealing with Luke Skywalker. As she strode to the cockpit to set the navicomp with the coordinates to Tython, she reached out with the Force once more, trying to send her soulmate a message. 

_ I’m coming, Ben. _

….

She was cradled in Ben’s arms, his lips pressed to her forehead as they lay in a field of fragrant flowers. The love she felt from him blanketed her in warmth, a warmth she had yearned for her entire life.

“I love you,” Rey sighed happily, her lips meeting Ben’s tenderly.

“I love you, too,” Ben replied, his fingers dancing over her face after their kiss ended. “Always.”

When Rey woke, Ben’s shirt was clutched to her heart, and she wept as the Falcon swept through the hyperspace lane that would take her to Tython - and hopefully the answers she needed to save Ben.

  
  



	2. I took the stars from my eyes, and then I made a map

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Where am I, Mother? How… is there a way for me to get to her? To Rey?” Ben asked, his eyes never leaving the scene before him.
> 
> He was everywhere and nowhere all at once. He was every time. Every place.
> 
> “You’re in a place that goes by many names. Vergence scatter. Netherworld of Unbeing. The World Between Worlds. It’s a place where everything is connected within the Force....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta for working her magic again! Read her works here: [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)
> 
> As always, thank you to all of you who are reading this. I am working on the next chapter, and I hope you'll stick around for it!

[ ](https://imgur.com/NpCAyrk)

She was a baby, clutched tightly in her mother’s arms, her father leaning over to place a gentle, loving kiss to her forehead. Ben watched in silent agony, wondering what life would have been like for his love if she had been able to stay with her parents - if they had been normal people, with a normal lineage.

They may have never met, neither of them knowing that they were soulmates - but Ben knew that even if she had had a normal life, the Force would have brought them together somehow. The Force always got what it wanted.

He watched as her parents left her on Jakku, her father pulling her mother onto the transport ship that would take them away from their daughter, promising her that Rey would be safe in the care of Plutt, that her grandfather would never find her there.

He was everywhere and nowhere at once. He was all times, all places.

He waited and watched.

He loved.

She was a child, scared and alone, cowering as Plutt menaced her. The large Crolute towered over her, his boys snickering behind them as he paced and muttered to himself. Finally, he growled out, “No portions for you, Little One.”

She carved another mark into the durasteel wall of her AT-AT home, sighing as she made another meal out of veg-meat and polystarch. It was no wonder she had weighed nothing in his arms as he carried her to his command shuttle on Takodana.

He sensed another presence as he watched Rey again, this time as she lay sleeping in the Resistance base on D’Qar. Even in sleep, his sweet girl couldn’t rest, tossing and turning as she dreamt of an island - and of him. He was still a monster in a mask to her then, neither of them realizing just how much they were entwined with the other.

“Starfighter. Watching over her, I see?” Ben couldn’t see his mother, of course, but her voice was clear in his mind, and her essence washed over him lovingly. It was like feeling her hand, warm on his forehead when he was feeling ill as a boy.

It was  _ comforting _ .

“Mom…” Ben wanted to hug her, wanted to feel the comfort he knew would be afforded in her arms. He needed her, needed her advice, needed to know that she had forgiven him. “I… I’m  _ sorry. _ For everything. Dad… I saw Dad. He… Oh, Mom.” Ben watched Rey sleeping, wanting nothing more than to step into that time, that place, so that he could comfort her.

“You can’t do that, Little Starfighter. You know you have to stay here for now.” His mother’s voice was so comforting, so loving, that Ben knew he would be in tears if he had a body.

“I know, Mom… why, though? Why am I here instead of… wherever you are?” Ben was truly confused. He had been alive, his forehead resting against Rey’s, her hands warm and soft on his face. Her smile had been as bright as the sun, and Ben had told her everything he was feeling through their bond, finally able to express his true feelings for her.

And Ben Solo, former Supreme Leader of the First Order, former leader of the Knights of Ren - Grandson of the most feared tyrant of the Galaxy - had given and received love in its purest form, and experienced true happiness for a few brief seconds before everything had faded to black.

“Well,” his mother’s voice came to his mind again, “Because, son, Rey Palpatine can’t exist without you, just as Ben Solo can’t exist without Rey Palpatine. You are a Dyad within the Force. Soulbonded. None of us have ever seen anything like it. It’s incredible, really, Ben. I am so happy you came back to us, Starfighter. Your Father and I, we missed you so much. Rey… I knew there was something within her the moment I saw her. She was made for you, Ben, just like you were made for her.”

Ben knew his mother was right. He’d felt it too, the moment he saw her on Takodana. “I know,” Ben answered softly. The scene shifted before him, and Rey was in her room on the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss, weeping into her pillow the night she’d returned from Exegol. She had stayed at the celebration as long as she could, before retreating back to her room, clutching his shirt to her as she wept.

“Where am I, Mother? How… is there a way for me to get to her? To Rey?” Ben asked, his eyes never leaving the scene before him.

He was everywhere and nowhere all at once. He was every time. Every place.

“You’re in a place that goes by many names. Vergence scatter. Netherworld of Unbeing. The World Between Worlds. It’s a place where everything is connected within the Force. Rey is on her way to you, Ben. There is a way, but it’s dangerous, and she will have to train very hard to get there. Just keep watching her Starfighter. And Ben? I forgive you, son.”

Something lifted from over his soul, a heaviness he had lived with for far too long, and as Ben watched the woman he loved crying herself to sleep, he knew that when he finally got to hold her in his arms for good, he was never letting her go again.

….

Rey opened the conservator, poking around inside until she found something that appealed to her. Normally, she was a voracious eater - but lately, all she could manage to eat was Corellian sausages that she knew Han had been fond of. Everything tasted like ash in her mouth.

BB8 beeped at her, and Rey sighed as she turned to look at the orange and white droid. 

“I know, BB. I know I should eat. I know I should be doing maintenance on the Falcon. But… how can I do anything when I know he’s out there waiting for me? Ben would want me to eat, wouldn’t he?”

BB8 let out another beep of agreement, and Rey reached down to pat him tenderly.

“I know. Me too.”

As Rey turned back to the conservator, she felt a familiar, comforting presence in the Force.

“Leia.”

“Hello, Rey. I’m sorry I didn’t come visit before now.” 

Rey turned around, looking at her Master with a fond smile. “I’m sure you’ve had things to do. I… it’s good to see you, Master.”

Leia waved her hand, letting out a laugh. “I hardly think we need formalities now, Rey. You’re family, especially now with everything that has happened with Ben.” Leia’s face turned tender as she looked at Rey. “You look tired, Rey. Have you been taking care of yourself?”

Rey just shrugged in response, her eyes falling to the floor.

“Rey… you know he doesn’t want you to get sick, don’t you?” Leia moved closer to Rey, watching her son’s soulmate with concern. “Ben… he’s waiting for you, Rey.”

Rey’s eyes snapped up to Leia’s, a light coming to her eyes that hadn’t been there since Ben had left her. “You… you talked to him? You’ve seen Ben? Is… is he okay? I miss him, I miss him so much…” Rey stepped towards Leia, almost kicking BB8 as she did so, the little droid beeped in protest, but both women ignored him.

“I haven’t seen him. He doesn’t really have a body where he is. Not yet. But we have interacted, and he knows, Rey. He knows you’re coming for him.”

Rey gulped, trying not to let her excitement show. Ben knew she was coming for him… which meant he was thinking about her - and she could only hope she would get to him soon. “I… Luke told me where he is. The World Between Worlds. But he also said you would tell me more about how he got there, Leia. Is… is it because he’s my soulmate? Is that why he’s there instead of with you and Luke?”

“We’re not sure, Rey. All I know is that, with my dying breath, I gave my son my life force so that he could live after you wounded him on Kef Bir. So… so that he could see Han again, even in his memories. You healed him, so he could make amends with his father - even in his own mind. You healed his body and his soul - with my help, Rey. Kylo Ren died, and Ben Solo - my son - was reborn.” Leia smiled at Rey, and Rey could feel comfort resonating through the Force from her.

“Then, on Exegol, when you defeated Palpatine and died, Ben brought you back to life with his own life force. I knew what he was doing, it’s like I was there, watching it. I hadn’t passed into the cosmic Force yet, because I still had a job to do. I had to make sure things were right, I suppose. I expected to see Ben with us, I really did. Master Yoda, he believes it is because the two of you are a dyad. Neither of you can survive without the other, and so the Force sent Ben to the vergence scatter - the World Between Worlds.” Leia watched as tears sprang into Rey’s eyes, and she sent another comforting tendril through the Force towards her.

“I… I’m scared, Leia. I’m scared I won’t be strong enough to bring him home. He… he wants me to bring him home, doesn’t he?”

Leia threw back her head and laughed for a moment while Rey watched her, her eyes slightly narrowed at her mentor. “Oh, Rey. My son is your soulmate, you shared a very loving few moments on Exegol, and here you are, doubting whether he wants to come home to live out the rest of his days with you. Rey, Ben wants nothing more than to be with you. Even now, he is watching over you.”

“I love him, Leia. I didn’t want to be with Kylo. I wanted Ben.”

“I know. I always knew, Rey. You’re strong enough, I know you are.  _ Ben _ knows you are. Find my son, Rey, and bring him home. I’ll come visit soon.”

“I will,” Rey said tearfully, watching as Leia’s visage faded away.

With a sigh, Rey turned back to the conservator to get food out to eat. Leia had been right - Ben needed her to be strong, because she  _ was _ going to bring him home.

….

“I miss you,” Rey said later that night, clutching Ben’s shirt to her.

She sensed a presence near, one she was familiar with - and one she was going to be intimately familiar with some day soon.

“Ben? I can feel you. I can. I… I don’t think I am imagining things. I’m bringing you home, Ben, and when I do… you’re not leaving my side. Understand?” Rey swore she felt  _ something _ warm caress her cheek, and she closed her eyes, imagining it was Ben kissing her cheek.

He was everywhere and nowhere at once. He was all times, all places.

He was standing beside Rey, kissing her cheek as she talked to him - and even though he couldn’t be there physically, he hoped she could somehow feel him.

He watched and waited.

He loved.

As the navicomp on the  _ Falcon _ emitted a series of beeps to let her know they had reached their destination, Rey planted a kiss to the shirt that had once rested against her Ben’s skin before putting it away carefully and heading into the cockpit.

  
The blue and white of Tython’s Meridional Ice Cap shone brightly through the viewport of the  _ Falcon _ , and Rey took in a deep breath as she observed the planet, knowing that below her lie the key to bringing Ben back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	3. And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The balance was broken. The Force wars, the Sith coming to power, and even the Jedi coming here. It all threw off the balance. But then… three decades ago one half of our greatest hope in restoring the balance was brought into the universe.” Lanoree smiled at Rey, waiting for her reaction before continuing.
> 
> “Ben…” Rey whispered, tears springing into her eyes. Her fingers clenched at the fabric of his shirt as she thought about her soulmate, and a stab of pain ricocheted through her heart.
> 
> “Yes. Your other half was born. The darkness to your light.” Lanoree smiled before continuing, “And then, ten years later, you were born. The granddaughter of the darkness personified, yet so full of light. The dyad was complete, and all we had to do was wait.”
> 
> Rey couldn’t help the tears that fell from her eyes now. “We were always meant to be together, weren’t we?”
> 
> “From the moment of your births,” Lanoree said, watching Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my betas for this chapter: [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite) and [Nancylovesreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancylovesreylo), and also for the gorgeous moodboard!
> 
> I hope you are all enjoying my fix to the aTROSity! <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/aEFM1Nr)

Tython could only be described as  _ desolate _ . It was as if the Galaxy had forgotten about the Deep Core world for some reason, shutting itself off from the planet and erasing the ancient hyperspace lanes from the navicomputers for all the ships.

Rey felt lucky she had Force ghosts on her side, otherwise, she never would have found her way here. The ancient Jedi texts made mention of the Je’daii Order, of course, but Rey was still working her way through them. She could only hope that Luke’s advice was good, and that she would somehow find the help she needed here to bring Ben back to her. As she strode across the frozen land, wearing Ben’s sweater as an extra layer, Rey stopped midstride as a voice drifted into her mind.

“Hello, Rey Palpatine. We’ve been waiting to finally meet you.”

Rey sneered as she turned to look upon the visage of a slender young woman with auburn hair and green eyes, lined in the blue glow of a Force ghost.

“That is not the name I claim. Nor will I ever claim the name of that monster,” she spat out, reaching down and tangling her hand in the bottom hem of Ben’s sweater without thinking about it. “My name is Rey  _ Solo _ .”

The woman took a step forward, giving Rey a small smile. “You may call yourself by that name, Rey… but you can’t deny the truth that is your family. You are the granddaughter of Sheev Palpatine. Nothing can change that. Just like I can’t change what my own blood did, neither can you. All we can do is try to restore the balance that has been disturbed.”

Rey lifted her chin defiantly, looking over the ghostly woman in front of her before hissing out a long breath. “Master Skywalker and Master Organa sent me here. I suppose you already know why. You Force ghosts have a lot of knowledge for being dead.”

The woman shrugged. “We see everything. The past, the present… and what shall be - when the Force decides to reveal it to us, that is. My name is Lanoree Brock, and I’m to be your guide on Tython, Rey. The balance needs to be restored, and we will help you in this task.”

“We?” Rey asked. She had dealt with Luke long enough to know how Force ghosts liked to give half answers, leaving her to put the missing pieces together herself. Rey didn’t have time for that now, though.

She needed to save Ben. That was the only thing she was focused on - and the sooner, the better.

Pulling the sleeve of his shirt up to her face, Rey inhaled deeply, trying to get the tiniest whiff of his scent from the fabric. Lanoree observed her for a moment before tilting her head to one side.

“He waits for you there, you know.” Lanoree’s voice was understanding as she spoke.

“I know. And the sooner we get this… task, I believe you called it… done, the sooner I can go get him. Where should I start, Lanoree?”

“Here on Tython, there are nine different Temples, each dedicated to a different aspect of the beliefs of our order. You will travel to each temple, and once the Grand Master of each temple deems you worthy, you will move on to the next. I imagine you will move quickly through several of them, since you have had some training already.” Lanoree let out a sigh, glancing around the deserted, barren terrain before looking back at Rey wistfully.

“Tython, in my time, was beautiful. Full of life and energy.” Lanoree closed her eyes, and Rey could sense her through the Force, her energy spiking. A picture appeared in front of her, and Rey gasped as she saw Tython in all its glory - with lush forests, a deep ocean, a vibrant population - and its nine temples dedicated to training Je’daii.

Rey watched as it all crumbled, falling into a world much like she was on now - desolate and abandoned. Forgotten by everyone. She let out a gasp as Lanoree’s eyes snapped open, and the picture before her dissolved into nothing. “W-what happened?” Rey asked, sadness evident in her hazel eyes.

“The balance was broken. The Force wars, the Sith coming to power, and even the Jedi coming here. It all threw off the balance. But then… three decades ago one half of our greatest hope in restoring the balance was brought into the universe.” Lanoree smiled at Rey, waiting for her reaction before continuing.

“Ben…” Rey whispered, tears springing into her eyes. Her fingers clenched at the fabric of his shirt as she thought about her soulmate, and a stab of pain ricocheted through her heart.

“Yes. Your other half was born. The darkness to your light.” Lanoree smiled before continuing, “And then, ten years later, you were born. The granddaughter of the darkness personified, yet so full of light. The dyad was complete, and all we had to do was wait.”

Rey couldn’t help the tears that fell from her eyes now. “We were always meant to be together, weren’t we?”

“From the moment of your births,” Lanoree said, watching Rey. 

“Help me get him back. Please,” Rey whispered, her voice quivering with tears.

“With pleasure,” Lanoree said. “Your first task, then… is Padawan Kesh. In my time, every young initiate had to start their training at Padawan Kesh.” Lanoree waved her hand, and a great temple made of brick came into view between the two women. It looked like a fortress, with golden spires reaching towards the stars. “While we know your knowledge is far beyond that of an initiate, Rey, every journey has a beginning, and this is the start of yours on Tython, and to bring your other half back to our world.” Coordinates danced in the air between them, and Lanoree smiled at Rey. “Put those into the navicomp of your ship, and Master Ruhr will be waiting for you there to begin your training. I will see you when you are ready to continue your journey to the next temple.”

Rey sniffled, swiping at her eyes as she committed the coordinates to memory. She was full of energy, but also filled with the sense that time was slipping by far too quickly. Every second she spent training, bowing to the whims of people who had been dead for centuries, was another second she was without Ben at her side.

Lanoree shook her head softly. “I know it seems like these moments are slipping away quickly, Rey, but know that time works differently in the vergence scatter. Your Ben will be there waiting for you. Have no fear of that.”

“What… what if I fail? What if I am not strong enough?” Rey asked softly, letting her eyes drift to the brown, cracked dirt beneath her booted feet. 

Lanoree smiled once more. “None of us believe you will fail, Rey, although failure is an excellent teacher. You are the Chosen One, as is Ben Solo. You will not fail in your task to bring him back. Now go. I will visit you soon. Master Ruhr is waiting.” Lanoree bowed her head before disappearing, leaving Rey alone once more.

With a sigh, Rey stood still, reaching out to the Force and closing her eyes. It was somewhat easier to find that tiny thread that tethered her to Ben now, and she sent love and hope down it, hoping that he could feel it in the world of limbo he seemed to be in.

“I’m coming, Ben. Be patient. Soon we’ll be together. I promise.”

….

He was everywhere and nowhere.

He was everything and nothing at all.

He was every time, every place.

He knew Rey was coming to bring him back. He could sense it… every day she got a little closer, a little more accessible to him through the Force. He spent his time watching her throughout her life, moving from time to time and filing away all the things he observed about her for later use.

He wanted to teach her how to swim. Perhaps in the Silver Sea just off Junari Point on Chandrila. After having lived in the desert for so long, Ben had observed how much rain and abundant water brought her joy.

He wanted to cook for her. Rey loved food, and Ben wanted to shudder at how painfully thin she had been when she escaped Jakku. He remembered holding her as he carried her onto his command shuttle on Takodana. She had weighed next to nothing. He would never let her starve again. She would always have food - he would make sure of it. Ben was a good cook, he had taken it upon himself to learn from the kitchen droids when he had still lived at home.

Ben saw how important her friends were to her. He vowed she would always be able to spend time with them - no matter how much they despised him. He wondered how they were going to react when she brought him back.

Would they put him on trial for war crimes? If they did, Ben knew they would sentence him to death for everything he had done with the First Order. He would expect nothing less. He had ordered people killed and had killed people himself - all because he had Snoke, or Palpatine, in his head. The pilot, he would want him dead, even though Ben’s parents had been friends with Shara Bey and Kes Dameron. And FN-2187. He would want him dead, as well, for putting him through the horrors of Stormtrooper training after ripping him away from his family.

Could he say goodbye to Rey again, though, if such a thing happened? Something told him that his bondmate would never let him die again. No, Ben had a distinct feeling that Rey wouldn’t allow him to leave her side once he had returned, and who was he to deny her anything?

Ben watched as Rey hovered above the ground, her legs crossed as a tall Wookiee circled around her, watching her carefully as she meditated. She was so vibrant, so full of light, and Ben wondered why he had ever denied his feelings for her. He had been so immersed in the dark, that he hadn’t wanted to feel anything - especially not for someone so full of light.

Once he was out of here, once he was at her side again, he would tell her everything he felt inside - how much he loved her, how much he had longed for her even before he knew her. How she made him feel like he mattered to her, even when they were on opposite sides of a war. How he had always known he was different, that he felt as if something were missing inside him. Now he understood, of course, that what was missing had been  _ her. _

_ I love you _ , Ben sent through their bond, and, on Tython, Rey was brought out of her meditation, a smile coming to her lips as she fell to the ground.

Ben’s favorite times, though, were as she slept. She would put his shirt on, burrowing her nose into the thick fabric as she took a deep breath in, and Ben wondered if it still smelled like him. Then, Rey would smile as she closed her eyes, one slender hand under her cheek, the other resting under her pillow. “Ben,” he would hear her sigh in her sleep sometimes, and he would always send comfort and love through their bond.

She would never sleep alone when he was back with her. Ben would make sure of it. She would never be lonely, never have to want for anything.  _ He’d make sure of it. _

Ben was everywhere and nowhere.

He was all places, all times.

And he was very much in love.

He waited and watched, and  _ loved _ .

….

Three days later, and Rey watched as Master Ruhr faded from view, her training at Padawan Kesh coming to an end. She found she liked the Je’daii way of looking at things much better than the Jedi Order’s.

Perhaps, if the Jedi had wanted balance, they would have followed the ways of their ancient predecessors. As Rey walked towards the Falcon, she closed her eyes and repeated their code in her head, letting the now-familiar words ground her within the Force.

_ There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. _

_ There is no fear; there is power. _

_ I am the heart of the Force. _

_ I am the revealing fire of light. _

_ I am the mystery of darkness _

_ In balance with chaos and harmony, _

_ Immortal in the Force. _

“Oh, Ben… I wish I had known. I wish I had taken your hand… we could have worked things out. Maybe… maybe you would still be here if I had…” Rey opened her eyes as she drew near the Falcon, the shadow of the freighter making the already desolate landscape darker.

“He knows,” said a familiar voice, and as Rey stepped onto the ramp of the Falcon, she turned to find the blue-lined figure of Lanoree standing there. “Even though he is in the World Between Worlds, he can hear and see everything. It just depends if he is watching or not.”

Rey gulped, stepping off the ramp to stand before her spirit guide. “Can…” Rey sighed, looking around as she tried to put her scattered thoughts together. “Can Ben talk to me? Touch me somehow? I’ve had a few dreams… they were all so  _ vivid _ . And I thought I felt him touch me once, as well as hearing his voice.”

“The Vergence Scatter is a place where anything can happen, Rey. You are half of a dyad - two who are one - and the Force is not happy that the balance is once again thrown off. If your Ben is watching at the right time and place, through the right door, then I believe he could be speaking to you, letting you know he is waiting. It is easier, I think, to bridge those doorways in dreams. However; I am not here to tell you about the Vergence Scatter, I am here to guide you to your next destination.” Lanoree looked Rey over, sensing the unease within her. “I know you are anxious to complete your journey so that you can be reunited with your other half.”

“I am, Master Brock.” Rey inclined her head slightly.

“Good. You need to head west, into the Tythos Ridge. The Temple of Kaleth is located there. In my time, it was a great Temple…” A vision popped up, of a great mountain range, a massive stone archway opening into a large stone courtyard, a giant statue watching over the temple-city. As the image moved to hover over the temple, Rey saw that the fortress was arranged into painted stones, forming large circles in the faces of the four square towers. Rey gasped as she examined the circles - she had seen them before in the Jedi Texts.

“I have seen these before,” Rey said, thinking about the ancient manuscripts that were tucked away into a compartment on the Falcon. 

Lanoree now inclined her head. “I am sure you have. As you will learn in your next task, many of the values we taught and held dear were also taught within the Jedi Order, until they became more worried about politics and fighting wars than the true balance that we always sought. You have much to learn about our ways, Rey, and Kaleth will be an awakening for you. While the Jedi did their best to do good for the Galaxy - they overlooked the most important thing needed -  _ balance _ . Here are the coordinates to Kaleth. Good luck, Rey. I shall see you soon.” 

As Lanoree faded from view, leaving her once again alone in the desolate landscape, Rey sighed before muttering, “Thanks, Master Brock.”

….

Ben wanted to level Niima Outpost.

He watched as Rey slid down a sand dune after climbing down from the guts of a Star Destroyer, loading her scavenged parts on an impressive speeder he had watched her piece together over the years. She was so resourceful, so determined, his soulmate, that Ben’s heart ached every time he watched her struggle.

He could have saved her. He could have gone to her, given her a life filled with love and joy instead of the one she had to live. If only he had turned away from the whispers in his head, had listened to his Uncle’s teachings.

He was filled with ‘What Ifs’ when all he really wanted was to find peace again at the side of his soulmate. Being near Rey had always soothed him, had filled him with a sense of peace he found nowhere else.

“Rey… I’m sorry…” Ben said, and as the colors around him bled and started to spiral disconcertingly, he watched as everything came into focus again. His love was sleeping on board the Falcon, clutching his shirt to her chest. There were wet tears on her cheeks still, as if she had fallen asleep while crying. Ben reached out, wishing he had a body so he could touch her, could wipe away the tears on her cheek and press his lips to hers once more.

“Ben…” Rey murmured in her sleep, turning in her bunk. “I can hear you…” A tear slipped down her face, and then Ben found himself somehow standing before her, the sand dunes of Jakku all around them.

“Rey…” Ben said, looking down as her small hand reached out to grab his. His love looked up at him with her beautiful, albeit confused, hazel eyes, her brow wrinkled as she twined her fingers through his.

“Am I dreaming?” Rey asked, following it up with a shake of her head. “Of course I am.” She looked up at Ben, giving him a smile before asking quietly, “H-how are you here, Ben? Not that I am complaining… but  _ how _ ?”

“I have no idea,” Ben said, answering her smile with one of his own. It still felt foreign to him, that sensation of the corners of his lips lifting upwards, and Rey had been the only person to pull that smile from him in years. “My guess is that this is simply another realm - another door - in the Vergence Scatter. Since you’re sleeping, you see me as I was in your realm.”

“I’m coming to get you,” Rey said suddenly, turning to face him, her eyes searching his. “I’m training right now, with the original founders of the Je’daii Order. Then, when I have learned what they want me to, I am coming to get you, Ben.” Rey stood on her tiptoes, throwing her arms around his neck. “And when I get you back, you are never leaving me again. Understood?” Her lips pressed against his, and it was a long time before he pulled away, his eyes looking into hers as another smile lit up his face.

“Never. Understood.”

Her smile was the brightest light in the Galaxy to Ben, and he cupped her cheek, leaning in for another kiss. Rey was the one to pull away this time, her eyes once more on his.

“Ben, I l-”

Everything spiraled again, and Ben let out a curse as he found himself back in that place between worlds, where all he could do was wait to see her again.

….

Hours bled into days, days into weeks, and as Rey travelled across continents on Tython, going through each Je’daii temple as one might have thousands of years before, she tried to stay patient. She had to admit, she was  _ learning _ , and learning things that Masters Skywalker and Organa never would have taught her.

The Je’daii didn’t shun the Dark Side of the Force as their later counterparts did. Instead, they taught that the Bendu - Balance - was the most important thing. Rey had learned a lot on her journey through the eight temples - from healing to history to spending a week in silence, meditating and learning how to mask her Force presence from anyone trying to find her. She couldn’t wait to teach Ben what she had learned, to pass on the knowledge of the very first Force users to her soulmate. He was as strong in the Force as she was, and they would do outstanding things together.

Her final task awaited her, and as Rey landed the Falcon near the Temple of Akar Kesh, she wondered just what was in store for her. She felt a sense of time slipping away once more, like every day that passed was one she could be using to find Ben.

_ Soon, Ben. Soon.  _

As the ramp of the Falcon opened to reveal more of the desolate landscape of Tython, Rey looked around, taking in the eight minarets reaching to the sky, arranged in a circle. She stepped cautiously off the ramp, reaching out with the Force, pulling it around her like a cloak to keep her safe and undetected.

Moving closer to the ancient Temple, Rey stepped between two of the pillars, finding a circular pool in the center, the water dried up and the pool long abandoned. Her eyes travelled around once more, looking for any kind of clue as to what she should do. Something in the center of the pool caught her attention, and Rey stepped towards it, finding a familiar looking symbol in the tile lining the bottom of what had been the pool at one time.

It was a black circle with eight thick lines extending from it, each line having a curved line above it, with a thin circle around the whole thing. Rey realized that it was a symbol representing Bendu - The Force. 

She gasped when she realized that this Temple was laid out to represent the same symbol. She sat on the symbol, legs crossed, and closed her eyes, letting herself fall into the meditative state that would essentially meld her into the living Force.

“Rey Palpatine. Long have we waited to meet you.” The man’s voice was ancient sounding, deep and authoritative. “You and your bondmate shall be the bringers of balance to us all, fulfilling the true prophecy of the Dai Bendu. My name is Ketu, and I was once the Temple Master here. I hope we have prepared you well for this, your final test here on Tython: the test of Balance. Are you ready to undertake this test, Jedi?”

“I am, Master.” Rey replied, hovering slightly above the symbol.

“Good luck, Rey. At the end of this journey, will be one of the pieces you need to bring your other half back from the Vergence Scatter. Remember your training…”

As the voice faded away, Rey felt the air shift underneath her. She opened her eyes, settling her feet on the ground as it started to fall away, the large stone symbol she was standing on creaking and groaning as it moved downwards into the darkness underneath Tython.

As darkness closed around her, Rey centered herself within the Force, calling her lightsaber to her hand and igniting the blade, casting the chamber she was standing in in yellow light. The ancient stones around here seemed to have a life of their own, humming with the Force as she turned in a slow circle to try and get her bearings.

“Rey…” The stones seemed to say inside her head, causing her to widen her eyes in wonder. “Long have we waited to meet you, Rey! The bringer of balance, half of the two that are one. Go forth, Rey, seek that which will lead you to the First Blade, one half of what is needed for your entrance into the Vergence Scatter. Go forth, Bringer of Balance, go forth. But remember -” the voices turned almost ominous now, “Remember the balance within.”

The floor once more starting moving, the symbol beneath her feet twisting in a circle as it descended further still, finally groaning to a halt, only silence greeting Rey, though she could feel the Force thrumming all around her. “Rey…” the voices whispered again, “Balance. Bring it to the Force.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Rey allowed herself to fall into the Force further, her efforts met by the lurching of the platform underneath her feet, the stones grinding together as they continued to descend. The air grew musty and cold the further they went, the light from her saber being swallowed up by the darkness.

Finally, the platform lurched one last time after it reached its destination, and Rey stepped off it, peering around in the darkness to try and make out her surroundings. She was in a large chamber, with two corridors leading off from two sides. In the center were two pillars, one made of white marble, with veins of black running through it, the other pillar black marble with white veins. Looking up, Rey looked for someplace where she could climb to, wanting to get a better picture of the chamber from a higher vantage point. Steadying herself in the Force, Rey looked closer, using her hands to feel around the chamber. As she moved, she felt something made of durasteel bolted to the stone. Examining it closer, Rey wrinkled her brow as she thought for a moment. She moved on, finding another fixture - and then it occurred to her just what it was. With a wave of her fingers and a small push of the Force, Rey blinked as the lights all flickered on at once, bathing the chamber in a muted glow that allowed her to finally see the chamber she was standing in with more detail.

“Rey,” the stones  _ sang _ in her head, stretching out the vowel in an almost mocking tone and causing her to stop in her exploration of the chamber. “Strong are you in the Force, but unbalanced still, missing your other half are you.”

“No, really? Thanks for reminding me,” Rey muttered as she caught sight of a small outcropping she could use to get a better look. Taking a few steps backwards, Rey got a running start, and using the Force to propel herself upwards, Rey ran up the wall to the small outcropping, turning and looking out over the large room as the stones continued to whisper and sing inside her head.

“Bring your soulmate back you must, Rey, the Dyad must be complete for balance to resume… the key is here, Rey, if only you look.” The Force thrummed more now, and then silenced to the simple dull hum she was used to feeling.

With a low huff of complete annoyance, Rey let her eyes scan over the chamber, noting that the tops of the pillars both had an indentation, as if something was supposed to be sitting on top of it. The corridors that she had taken note of earlier were rounded, she could now see, as if they had been carved out to accomodate a spherical object moving through them.

Looking upwards, Rey saw another ledge higher up on the stone, and she set to work, letting her mind wander as she climbed the wall like she had once done within wrecked star destroyers on Jakku all those years ago. It felt like a lifetime ago, and Rey pondered as she climbed just how much life had changed for her in the last two years. She had found a family, friends, the truth about her parents and her lineage - and love.

Love. It amazed her, the depth of her love for Ben Solo. Ben had done the one thing for her that only her parents had done - he had sacrificed his life for hers. Now, she would bring him back so that they could have the life together they wanted.

She finally reached the next ledge, her eyes settling on another chamber, the corridors both running into it. Getting into it should be fairly easy, requiring her to scale a stone wall that, to someone who hadn’t spent their lives climbing through husks of star destroyers, would seem impossible. With a determined grin, Rey used the Force to help her along, making quick work of the obstacle. Looking down, Rey saw that both corridors ended in this room, which had nothing in it except two large spheres, one dark colored and one light colored. Sinking to the small ledge she was currently occupying, Rey crossed her legs and assumed a meditative pose, closing her eyes and letting the Force wrap around her.

“Rey,” a familiar voice said, and Rey struggled to keep the Force around her as she answered Luke. 

“Master Skywalker,” she answered, her voice echoing throughout the cavern.

“Focus, Rey. Remember your teachings here on Tython. Balance in everything.” Her old master’s voice was calming, and Rey simply nodded in answer.

“Yes, Master.”

Focusing once more on the Force, the answer came to her with a flash of her bondmate’s eyes in her head. “Ben,” Rey whispered, her eyes snapping open. Standing, she nodded once before looking into the room with the large spheres, tracing a path through the corridors back into the main chamber. Tilting her head to one side as she thought for a moment, putting all the pieces together in her brain, Rey nodded before leaping off the ledge, using the Force to help her float to the stone floor in front of the spheres. 

She took a moment to walk around each sphere, humming under her breath as she looked for any clues. Finding none, she glanced around one more time before circling the spheres and pushing outwards with the Force against the large objects. At first they didn’t move, and so Rey pushed harder, and when they didn’t budge, she grit her teeth and slammed her hand, palm outward, into the air, pushing against the Force once more.

The lighter colored ball started rolling into the corridor, creaking and screeching as stone ground on stone as it moved, and Rey moved forward to examine the divot it had been settled into. She let out a small gasp as she saw a tiny symbol etched into the stone. She recognized it immediately, the jagged edges pointing out in four directions with a flower like symbol in the center represented Bogan - the dark side of the Force. 

Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment as she thought, Rey examined the darker colored ball, jumping slightly as she heard the other sphere crash into something in the other chamber. Closing her eyes, Rey brought Ben’s face into her mind, the way his lips felt pressed against hers, the look in his eyes as he smiled at her. She took all the love she felt for Ben and imagined it was a ball or pure energy, and as Rey held out one hand, palm forward, she forced the energy towards the large sphere, opening her eyes and smiling as she heard the large object start to grind against the other stones as it started its path towards the other chamber.

After hearing the sound of the second sphere hitting the pillar in the larger chamber, Rey looked down, taking note of a different symbol carved into the stone where the dark sphere had been resting. Rey recognized this one, as well, it was the symbol of Bogan set inside the rounded flower-like symbol of Ashla, surrounded by a circle - which represented Tython.

  
“Balance,” she murmured to herself. “I am the mystery of darkness, in balance with chaos and harmony, immortal in the Force.” Peering around the chamber one last time, Rey decided there was nothing else to find before stepping into one of the corridors leading back into the main chamber.

  
  


Her eyes scanned over each of the spheres where they had come to rest before travelling up the pillars, and she chewed on her bottom lip again as she pondered her next move. “Balance,” she repeated, looking over the spheres and pillars again. “Balance in the Force.”

Closing her eyes, Rey reached out with the Force, sending it towards the dark colored sphere and wrapping it around it, lifting it easily. She was suddenly glad for the hours she had spent in meditation with Leia, practicing meditation and lifting rocks using the Force. Carefully, she raised the sphere in the air until it was hovering above the white pillar. Settling it gently into the divot on the top, Rey opened her eyes to see the veins of the marble on the pillar pulsing gently with a red light.

  
  


Cocking an eyebrow, Rey looked at the light colored sphere, letting out a small sigh as she closed her eyes and reached out with the Force again, repeating the process with the sphere. Once it was settled on top of the dark pillar, Rey saw the veins in the marble of that pillar pulsating with a blue light as soon as she opened her eyes.

Rey tried not to let her impatience grow, stalking around the pillars for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she spied something carved into the base of the white pillar. It was the one of the same signs from the other chamber - Bogan. The dark. Moving to the black pillar on a hunch, Rey let a small smile come to her lips as she saw the symbol for Ashla carved into the bottom of it. With a determined nod of her head, Rey moved back a few steps, settling onto the floor of the chamber in a meditative pose before closing her eyes and centering herself within the Force.

“Balance…” something whispered into her mind. “It’s all about balance, Rey,” another voice whispered. “Find the balance, Rey,” yet another voice carried to her, and Rey opened her eyes, knowing once again what she needed to do.

Standing, she reached her hand out once more, palm forward, making herself remember what it felt like to watch the light fade out of Ben’s eyes, to watch his body fade away. The dark side flared with her pain and anguish, and Rey latched onto it, bidding it to do her will as she reached out towards the light while still holding onto the dark. She thought of Ben, about the love in his eyes as he had looked at her on Exegol. Pulling the light towards her, she twined it around the dark, the two halves creating a strong gray strand of energy, which Rey then sent towards both pillars. It wrapped around them, and the red and blue light on both pillars pulsed with increasing frequency the more energy she pushed towards them.

Then there was an explosion of light, blinding her and pushing her off her feet and back against the stone wall of the chamber. There was a sound of stone grinding against stone that filled the room, and as Rey picked herself up off the floor, still blinded by the sudden light, she reached out with the Force to make sure there was no danger nearby.

Her vision finally returned, and Rey gaped at the figure that was now glowing softly on the floor between the pillars, red and blue light pulsating gently from a symbol she recognized from the temple on Ahch-To.

The prime Jedi, in perfect balance. The symbol had more meaning to her now that she had been through her training here on Tython and had all the knowledge of the ancient Je’daii within her. The symbol spoke to her, a cacophony of voices all tumbling through her head at once.

“Rey… so far have you travelled to get to this point. One half of a dyad in the Force, more powerful than life itself. Go forth, Rey, go forth and face all that which you fear the most.” The voices changed, sounding further away suddenly. “Rey… remember the balance of the Force.”

The voices faded away, and Rey stepped over the prime Jedi symbol on the floor, her eyes drawn to the large platform that had been revealed as the stone floor had twisted past the pillars. Rey drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes and focusing on the red thread that she now knew led to Ben’s soul.

“I’m coming, Ben. Give me strength…  _ be with me _ .”

She opened her eyes, blowing out the breath she had been holding in as she stepped onto the platform for the next step that would bring her closer to getting Ben home where he belonged.

….

Rey wiped sweat out of her eyes, wondering how many more winding corridors she would have to go through to get to her final destination. She had fought more tonight than she had in a long time, and the test she was undergoing had tested her body, mind and soul more than anything else she had ever endured.

The end game was worth anything, though. She would do whatever it took to get to Ben. Rey rounded a corner, expecting to find yet another battle droid, or another puzzle laid out before her to solve.

Instead, she found herself in a bedroom, an old woman rocking in a chair while looking out a window. Rey hesitated for a moment before moving into the room further, the landscape outside the window familiar to her.

Tatooine.

She felt her heart clench in her throat as she thought about the last time she had been on Tatooine. She had been mourning the loss of Ben, Luke and Leia, feeling like she would be alone for the rest of her life.

“Hello?” Rey said into the silence.

The woman half turned in her chair at the sound of Rey’s voice, using a cane to propel herself out of the chair slowly, leaning heavily on it for support as she shuffled closer to Rey. “Hello, Rey,” the woman said, her voice soft and wise with her advanced years. “Come sit for a spell. Would you like some blue milk? I think there is some in the conservator.”

“No thank you,” Rey answered politely, her brow wrinkling with confusion as the woman stopped in front of her finally. She looked very familiar, yet Rey couldn’t place just why. 

“Very well, then. Come sit by me and we can watch the suns set while we talk.”

The woman wobbled back to her chair, and Rey followed, settling onto a chair next to her, her eyes looking out the small window as the suns began their descent over the sands of Tatooine.

“I remember when I first came here,” the woman said. “It was so many years ago now… and I still think of him every day. It’s hard, losing the one you love the most. The one you imagined a life with.” The woman started rocking in her chair, letting a wistful sigh escape her lips.”I can still picture him in my head, my Ben. His eyes were the most amazing shade of brown, and they showed everything he was feeling inside.” She let out a sad laugh, and Rey looked at her in disbelief.

“You… you’re  _ me _ …” she said finally, and the woman nodded sadly.

“I am what you most fear, Rey. Being alone all your days with half a soul. This is what you have to look forward to if you fail in your quest. Oh, it’s not such a bad life. It’s lonely, to be sure, but I am still alive. For now. I was always good at fixing things… but I never could quite fix me after he died.” The woman rocked, and Rey swallowed hard, trying not to cry.

She didn’t want this life. She wanted a life with Ben - filled with love and laughter and his smile every day of her life.

“No,” Rey said. “No. This isn’t the way this is going to end. You’re not what I fear most.”

The room twisted, morphing into a new scene, a scene where Kylo Ren was seated on Palpatine’s throne - with her sitting across his lap. The new version of her looked up and hissed, jumping off Kylo’s lap and approaching her with her double bladed lightsaber staff ignited, spitting red fire similar to Kylo’s lightsaber.

“You never wanted him, Rey. You chose your friends over him. You can’t have him now!” 

Rey ignited her lightsaber, baring her teeth at the other version of herself. “You know nothing!” she spat at her other self, advancing and twirling her saber, ready to strike. “I wanted to take his hand - Ben’s hand. Not Kylo’s. And I  _ will _ take his hand, as soon as I bring him back.”

The other version of her smiled, and Rey was reminded of a feral loth cat, filled with anger, poised and ready to strike. She would have been like this, if she had agreed to be with Kylo when he had offered his hand in the throne room. Filled with anger, letting the darkness rule her and her actions.

This would never be her - not now that she had found her other half and he had shed the persona that was Kylo Ren.

“No!” Rey cried out, advancing on her dark visage and striking out with her saber. Dark Rey hissed, barely managing to parry her attack with one of her sabers. Rey advanced, reaching for the Dark side with an efficiency she hadn’t had before coming to Tython. Lightning crackled from her fingers, and the fight was short lived. As she struck down the version of her that could have existed, Rey felt the room start to shift - this time to another all too familiar scene.

It was dark and cold, and then something warm and tender crept through her body, the hand on her stomach strong and warm as someone fed their life force into her. Rey brought her hand up, placing it over top of Ben’s as she opened her eyes, terror flowing through her as she realized where she was, and the sacrifice Ben was making for her all over again.

“Ben?” His name was a whisper from her lips as she looked into his eyes, and she was once more able to bask in the warmth of a genuine smile, his eyes saying more to her than words ever could.

Their lips met, and as Ben fell backwards, Rey felt the horror of what was about to happen wash over her again. 

“Rey…” Ben’s voice came to her ears, and she felt love flood through her through their bond. “I am here, Rey.”

“I hear you, Ben…” Rey closed her eyes, knowing she had mere moments to help Ben. “Be with me…” Reaching out with a shaking hand, Rey fed her life force back into Ben, opening her eyes to find him still lying before her - unconscious, but very, very alive.

The world around her shifted again, and Rey once more heard the sound of stone against stone, and as she looked up she found a doorway in the wall, the symbol of the prime jedi etched into the stone, darkness meeting her from beyond. Cautiously, she rose, stepping inside the chamber. Igniting her lightsaber for a light source, Rey found an empty chamber, save for two objects hovering in the center of the room.

As she approached, she saw a holocron, next to it hovered what appeared to be the hilt of a lightsaber. Rey reached out, calling the holocron to her with the Force, and as it slipped into her hand she eyed it curiously for a moment, thinking about her journey so far. Looking at the markings on the device, Rey let a smile come to her face as she sank to the floor, legs crossed as she closed her eyes and let the Force work through her. She let tendrils of both the dark and light side tangle together, sending them towards the holocron.

She opened her eyes when a green light filled the room, the holocron activating and the holographic projection coming to life. Rey sat, giving the ancient Masters of the Je’daii her rapt attention as they spoke to her. 

When she had gathered all the information from the holocron, Rey let her eyes travel to the lightsaber hilt, standing and reaching out to grab it. As her fingers closed around it, a shudder ran through her, pure energy thrusting through her veins like quicksilver, a cacophony of voices whispering in her head at once.

“Rey,” they said in unison, “Worthy you are of the First Blade. Balance, balance you shall bring to the Force with your mate. As you are a Dyad within the Force, so are we. Find our darkness, Rey, and unite us to enter the portal and find your other half. Now go, with the blessings of all that have come before you, Rey. A thousand generations live within you - but this is your fight. Restore the balance with Ben Solo, and bring true peace to the Galaxy. Share that which we have taught you to new generations.”

“I will,” Rey promised with a smile as she tucked the ancient artifact into her bag, the sounds of a stone rolling aside to present another doorway, the hazy light of Tython’s sun bathing her face in light as she made her way upwards. When she stepped outside finally, she found Lanoree waiting for her, a smile on the ghost’s face as she greeted her.

“Rey! Your journey here is at an end. I will miss seeing you here on my homeworld,” Lanoree said, her blue-lined visage stepping closer to Rey. 

“I’ll miss you too, Master Brock., but you know I have some place to go. I have to get Ben back. Thank you for everything. I won’t let any of you down.”

“I have faith in you and your bondmate, Rey. Now… your next destination…”

As Rey walked towards the Falcon after getting the coordinates for her next destination, she turned around as she stepped on the ramp, and was greeted by the ghosts of all the Je’daii Masters. As the ramp closed, Rey smiled, ready to go to Coruscant to get one step closer to bringing Ben back to her.

….

He was everywhere and nowhere at all.

He was all times, all places.

And when Rey needed to remember that to achieve her goal on Tython, he was there.

Now she was coming for him, and Ben knew she would succeed.

Soon, he’d be going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	4. Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She wished Ben was there with her. Rey knew he would help her make sense of everything.
> 
> _I will always be with you, Rey._
> 
> His voice echoed in her head, bringing a smile to her lips as she brought the Falcon into the port designated for her by Coruscanti air control. As she unstrapped herself from the pilot’s seat, she could have sworn she felt his fingers brushing over her cheek gently.
> 
> “I know, Ben. I’ll be there soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys ready for Rey to get her man back??? Yeah, me too!
> 
> Thanks to [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite) and [nancylovesreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancylovesreylo) for the betas and moodboard!!!

[ ](https://imgur.com/9ehl8RO)

Coruscant was…  _ terrifying  _ and  _ enthralling _ , all at once. The lights danced in front of her through the Falcon’s viewport as she tried to maneuver the freighter through the airlanes into the starport.

She wished Ben was there with her. Rey knew he would help her make sense of everything.

_ I will always be with you, Rey. _

His voice echoed in her head, bringing a smile to her lips as she brought the Falcon into the port designated for her by Coruscanti air control. As she unstrapped herself from the pilot’s seat, she could have sworn she felt his fingers brushing over her cheek gently.

“I know, Ben. I’ll be there soon.”

….

The Grand Republic Medical Center stood within Galactic City, and as Rey approached on the speeder she had appropriated, she eyed the round, tall structure curiously, wondering just why Sheev Palpatine had chosen a hospital - of all places - to hide Sith artifacts within.

“Who would suspect it?” Luke’s voice came to her mind, and she looked to the side, seeing her mentor sitting in the seat beside her, lined in blue. “Plus, there is good security. This is where he brought my father after he was nearly killed on Mustafar. This is where he was put into his life support unit.” 

Rey looked at the building once more, thinking of how her grandfather had manipulated so many people for his own gain. She shuddered before breathing out a heavy breath and pulling the speeder into one of the docking ports outside the facility. Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, Rey closed her eyes briefly, bringing the map of the facility into her head.

_ Be with me, _ she thought, a small smile coming to her lips when she heard Ben’s voice answer her.

_ I am. _

It seemed he had found a way to communicate with her somehow, and even though his voice was faint, and if Rey hadn’t been listening she never would have heard it - it was there, and it was  _ his _ . Ben’s. Her soulmate.

Rey stepped out of the speeder, knowing what she had to do - and knowing she had the Jedi, and her soulmate, with her the entire way.

….

A few Jedi mind tricks later, Rey found herself standing in the bowels of the medical facility, eyeing a locked door as she tried to reason out how to gain access. She glanced around, finding nothing but bare walls and darkness, until finally she reached out with the Force, looking for anything she might be missing.

She was hardly surprised when a panel slid open, revealing a strange apparatus within. After examining it for a moment, Rey slid her finger inside a slot she had discovered, letting out a small exclamation of pain as she felt a needle prick her skin.

**Identification confirmed. Welcome, Blood of Palpatine.**

The Aurabesh on the panel faded away as the door before her slid open, allowing her to step inside the large, dark chamber. She used the Force to sweep out in front of her, sensing for danger. As she did so, lights came on overhead, casting a dull light over the room. Advancing into the room, Rey could feel the darkness seeping into her, the objects in the chamber whispering to her inside her mind.

_ Granddaughter of Sidious, daughter of darkness… you were meant to find us. Use our power, Rey, let us help you. So much power, Rey. _

Stepping further into the room, Rey closed her eyes, diving into the Force and letting it guide her to the object she so desperately needed. She knew the Force would guide her if she trusted in it, and so she searched until, finally, she knew which object she needed.

She opened her eyes and looked to the center of the chamber, letting her eyes travel upwards until they landed upon a crystal resting in its base up a small flight of stairs. It was pulsing, the odd yellow light within illuminating the red crystal eerily, and Rey put her hand up, using the Force to call the object to her hand.

Immediately, her head erupted with a humming sound, whispers cascading through her brain. 

_ We are two that become one, Rey, much like you and your bondmate. Let us help you open the door, Rey. Take us where the doorway lies and let us do our work. _

Rey knew suddenly where she needed to go, and without a moment’s hesitation she turned, tucking the crystal away as she strode towards the door, taking off at a run as soon as she stepped into the corridor outside the chamber.

Every second wasted now was a second longer than she wanted to be without Ben.

….

He was everywhere and nowhere.

He was all things, all times.

And Rey was coming for him.

Ben watched as she obtained the Great Crystal of Aantonaii, and he knew his time in the Vergence Scatter was growing short.

….

The last place Rey had ever wanted to see again was Exegol. It was where she had defeated her grandfather to end the war for good - so even though so much good had happened here, it was the place she had lost Ben.

As she entered the ruins of the Sith Temple once more, stepping over ruined pieces of stone statues and the scattered detritus of what was once the meeting place for the cultists of the Sith Eternal, Rey wished she could keep the vision of what had happened here out of her brain.

Rey shook her head as she stepped closer to the spot she had destroyed Darth Sidious in, and an involuntary shudder ripped through her. She gazed upon the spot where she had fallen and been revived, the same spot where Ben had left her, and Rey felt anger and sadness and pain, the crystal in her bag pulsing so brightly with her emotions that she gasped.

_ No… no. Balance. I can’t do this without balance,  _ Rey thought to herself as she sank to the ground into a meditative pose. Drawing the ancient relics of the Jedi and Sith from her bag, Rey took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she closed her eyes.

The Force grabbed at her, which was a new sensation, but Rey somehow managed to keep her footing - so to speak - as the Force swirled and milled about her in a frenzy. It was so  _ strong _ here, and she realized that was one of the reasons Sidious had built his temple here.

Taking in another deep breath and clutching the First Blade and Great Crystal in her hands, Rey let herself once more fall further into the Force, whispering  _ Be with me _ over and over again.

The voices of those before her came to her- just as they had the last time she was here.

_ Rey. _

_ Rey, find your balance. _

_ Bring balance to the Force, Rey. _

_ Rey. _

_ Rey. _

_ All of us who have come before you are here, Rey. _

_ Let us help you. _

_ Let us guide you, Rey. _

_ A thousand generations live inside you, Rey. _

The final voice she heard was comforting, the low timbre of her soulmate’s words bringing joy to her soul as she felt the First Blade and the Great Crystal of Aantonaii start to vibrate in her hand, slipping from her grasp as Ben’s voice faded away.

_ I will always be with you. _

A soft glow illuminated the room as Rey’s eyes opened, the First Blade and Great Crystal both buzzing, the light from them growing brighter as the buzzing turned into a pulse of light, moving with the beat of her heart. It grew brighter, until the two artifacts were moving around each other in an intricate orbit, their combined light pulsating and reaching outward in a circle, creeping further away until it was over the large precipice that Ben had been flung into only months earlier. The light seemingly hovered there, throbbing and expanding until it resembled a door.

All movement stopped, the steady thrum of both objects to the beat of her heart and her breathing were all that could be heard. Rey rose from the stone floor, looking around carefully before moving towards the doorway until she was standing in front of it.

_ Rey, _ she heard Ben’s voice, a gentle whisper from within the door.  _ Be with me. _

Taking in a deep breath, Rey stepped inside the door, turning and watching it fade away, the light from the artifacts fading away as they crashed to the floor with a loud clang. Putting her hand out, Rey called both objects to her with a gentle flick of her fingers and a push from the Force, tucking them away in her bag before turning to survey the dark landscape.

Above her, stars twinkled - constellations that she had never seen before arranged above her, and as she pondered what to do, she heard voices echoing through the dark.

_ Mommy, I don’t want to go!  _ A young boy’s voice rang out, familiar to Rey for some reason, followed by a woman’s voice.

_As a young_ _senator_ _, I saw my_ _homeworld_ _of_ _Alderaan_ _vaporized_ _before my eyes, destroyed by a_ _murderous machine_ _that the Empire had created. The horror of watching so many lives extinguished will never leave me. That moment changed me forever, and made me vow that I would live to see an end to war and the beginning of an era of peace._

_ Should that day arrive, what will you do? And what will you tell the people of the galaxy you swore to defend? _

“Leia?” Rey whispered, moving forward into the darkness. Before her, infinite paths were illuminated in a soft, glowing white, each leading towards a doorway.

_ Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid. _

“Han?” Rey said now, tears streaming from her eyes at the sound of the smuggler’s voice.

_ Some things are stronger than blood. _

“Luke…” Rey said softly, letting the voices of those she loved and lost settle into her soul.

_ I will always be with you, Rey. Come find me. _

Rey opened her eyes and smiled. “I’m coming, Ben. Be with me. Help me find you.”

She felt  _ something _ through the Force, like someone tugging at the other end of the tether binding her to her other half. “Yes,” Rey whispered, following the thin red thread, letting it guide her along the illuminated path until she stood in front of a large doorway with intricate symbols appearing on it - symbols she had never seen before.

Pulling both the First Blade and the Great Crystal of Aantonaii out of her bag and clutching them, one in each hand, she stepped into the doorway.

It was a scene she recognized, though she had never viewed it from another point of view. Rey lay on the cold stone floor of the Sith Temple, lifeless, as Ben crawled towards her, clearly injured after his fall down the precipice. She watched as he pulled her into his arms, looking around for a moment before she saw resolve and determination in his eyes.

He knew what he had to do, and he had the strength to do it.

Rey took a few steps forward as his hand went to her abdomen and he started to pour his life force into her body. She only had moments to pull him back into their time, to bring him back to her forever.

“Ben… Ben, I’m here,” Rey said quietly, and he opened his eyes and looked up, a smile coming to his lips as the Rey in his arms faded away. He looked down for a moment, confusion crossing his face at the feeling of her weight dissipating into the aether like dust.

“Rey? I knew you were close, but…” A pained look crossed his face, and Rey ran to him, settling the crystal into his hand quickly as she looked into his eyes, tears shining in her own as she reached out, placing her fingertips on his cheek. “I was trying to help you… to speak to you, but I didn’t know if you could hear me.” A tear slid down his face as he looked into her eyes, all the love in his heart threatening to burst forth from him at any moment.

_ Finally - someone had chosen to save him. To pick him. To  _ **_help_ ** _ him. _

“We don’t have much time, Ben, for you to come back to me. We need to concentrate, to combine our…” Rey started to explain, her eyes bright and shining with love for him.

“We have to become a true Dyad,” Ben finished for her, the answer coming to his mind all of a sudden. “I know what I have to do,” he said with a nod as he closed his eyes once more.

Rey settled onto the temple floor beside him, their thighs touching as she closed her eyes and threw herself into the Force, reaching out for Ben’s Force signature and allowing hers to wrap around his, the light and darkness twining together into an unbreakable thread.

Pulsing light filled the chamber as the First Blade and Great Crystal both shot out of their hands, orbiting one another in an intricate dance, drawing closer and closer until - at the same moment Rey and Ben’s Force signatures joined and they become one in the Force - the Great Crystal of Aantonaii snapped into the hilt of the First Blade in a shower of sparks and a brilliant explosion of light.

Ben and Rey both opened their eyes, panting with exertion already as they looked at each other first, Rey pushing herself forward until her hands rested on Ben’s face as she smiled at him before pressing her lips to his. His large hands curled around her neck and lower back to hold her in place, and the two let their love flow around them through the Force, the true joy of their joining evident to them both.

They pulled apart only when a thrumming sound started, both of them looking towards the now joined artifacts as they both started pulsating with light once more - this time to the beat of both their hearts - which made both Ben and Rey gasp out loud as they realized that their hearts were beating in time to the other’s.

There was a brilliant explosion of light again, the artifacts exploding and the particles left behind rushing towards both Ben and Rey with dizzying speed, thudding into them both with enough force to knock them both back as the particles disappeared into both their bodies.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked, his voice low and full of concern in the darkness of the chamber. He reached out towards where Rey had been, his hand somehow finding her in the darkness and grasping at it, delighted when she responded by twining her fingers through his.

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” Rey asked, sitting up and brushing herself off. “What just happened?”

“I don’t know, but let’s get out of here. We can figure it out later,” Ben said, getting to his feet and swaying with the effort. He was still injured and weak. It would take everything he had to make it out of the Vergence Scatter with his soulmate.

Rey jumped to her feet as well, coming to stand in front of Ben as she surveyed him before reaching a hand out and placing it on his cheek. “Let me help you. Let me give you enough healing to get us out of here.”

Ben smiled at her before nodding, and Rey’s heart twisted in her chest. She would never get sick of seeing him smile, she knew, nor would she ever be upset that she was the recipient of his smiles.

She had done it. She was bringing Ben back home.

Rey closed her eyes, standing on tiptoes so she could rest her forehead against Ben’s as she let her own life force flow through her fingers and into Ben, the gashes on his face closing and the fatigue ebbing away for now. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked into his, smiling at him as she planted another kiss to his lips.

“There. You’ll need to rest and have some care from a med droid as soon as we get to civilization, but you look better now.” Rey pulled away and looked him over before reaching out and grabbing his hand, twining her fingers through his.

“Let’s go home,” Rey said gently as she started to walk back towards the doorway that would get them out of the chamber and into the pathways that would lead them out of the World Between Worlds and into their future.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	5. Together... Or Not At All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben Solo was a new man, reborn in the light - twice now - and yet he had no clue what to do with himself. He settled for simply watching Rey as she moved about the Falcon, doing repairs and maintenance. Something always needed fixing on the old freighter, and Rey loved fixing things. He tried not to hover, but he felt like a planet, in orbit around the sun and helpless to resist. Perhaps this was what real love felt like, like you couldn’t breathe without the other person near.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my wonderful betas for this chapter: [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite) & [nancylovesreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancylovesreylo). Moodboard by the latter. I couldn't do what I do without them.
> 
> Note: The chapter count went up by 1. Gotta fit that sweet, sweet smut in here somewhere - right?

[ ](https://imgur.com/8MxbZH0)

Rey of Jakku had grown up lonely. She had never had the luxury of having a favorite flower… food… drink… person.

Until now.

Rey was absolutely, positively certain that Ben Solo was her favorite person in the Galaxy. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, not when he had collapsed halfway back to the  _ Falcon _ on Exegol, not when she had taken him to Jedha - an ancient planet in its own right - to get a med droid to tend to his injuries.

Especially not when he was lying in her bunk sleeping. The med droid had treated his injuries to the best of their abilities before informing Rey that all he needed was rest. 

And rest he had - for three days now he had slept while Rey hovered nervously, waiting for him to wake up. They had arrived on Takodana the day before, because Rey was familiar with the verdant planet and had wanted Ben to see something besides desert or an ecumenopolis when he woke up. She thought it was fitting that he wake up on Takodana, where they had met the first time.

Rey had eaten her breakfast sitting next to him, and after reaching up and pushing a tuft of hair off his forehead, she had decided to work on one of the sub alternators. She had never been the type of person who could sit still - especially not when something needed fixing - and something almost  _ always _ needed fixed on the Falcon. 

Of course, just when she decided to leave Ben’s side, he would wake up.

She could feel him, through the Force and their bond, as he woke, and she threw down the wrench she had been using before climbing out of the compartment and running through the corridors towards her quarters.

Ben met her halfway, and Rey launched herself through the air at him. He caught her, grunting with the effort as she pressed her lips to his, wrapping her legs around his hips. This kiss was full of promise and love, and after a few long moments, Rey pulled away to smile at him.

“Hi,” she said, “How are you feeling?” Rey set her feet back onto the duracrete floor, feeling suddenly shy as she looked at her bondmate. She’d never been alone with him - with  _ Ben _ \- and she wasn’t quite sure what to do. Could she touch him? Did he need his space?

“Like I slept for a week. Hi, Rey. Are you feeling okay?” Ben’s voice was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. It was so unlike the cold tones that Kylo had used - Ben’s voice was like the low, dulcet tones of the music that she had sometimes heard coming from Leia’s quarters late at night. It was refined, and soft… and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter even more.

**You can touch me, Rey. I don’t mind. You’re thinking pretty hard.**

“Y-you can hear me  _ thinking _ ?” Rey said out loud, her face flushing as she looked up at Ben, who simply nodded at her.

“I think… whatever happened back on Exegol, when you brought me back here, did some interesting things with our bond. We have a lot to explore, to discover.” Ben smiled at her, causing Rey’s heart to beat faster in her chest - still in time with his.

Ben reached out to take Rey’s hand in his, twining her small fingers with his and bringing the back of her hand up to his lips briefly. The simple act of touching her had their hearts racing, keeping time to the other’s. 

“We do. Together, right?” Rey felt fear rising inside her at once, threatening to consume her. What if Ben wanted to go his own way, to make a life for himself - the life he had never had because of the dark whispers in his head his entire life? If he wanted that, she would let him go, let him walk the path he had never been able to without her. She loved him enough, and she was used to being alone.

“Rey.” Ben’s voice was soft, pulling her from her musings, and as she looked into his eyes she felt emotions wash over her that she had never felt before.

**Belonging. Family. Home.** **_Love._ **

His next words echoed ones he had said to her in what seemed a lifetime ago, sitting in a cold, damp hut on Ahch-To, searching for that sense of belonging in a world that made no sense to her.

“You’re not alone,” Ben said, moving forward and opening his arms for her.

“Neither are you,” Rey replied as she surged into his arms, and as they closed around her to pull her close, Rey couldn’t remember a time that she had ever felt so right or so safe.

….

Ben Solo was a new man, reborn in the light - twice now - and yet he had no clue what to do with himself. He settled for simply watching Rey as she moved about the Falcon, doing repairs and maintenance. Something always needed fixing on the old freighter, and Rey loved fixing things. He tried not to hover, but he felt like a planet, in orbit around the sun and helpless to resist. Perhaps this was what real love felt like, like you couldn’t breathe without the other person near.

“We need supplies,” Rey said that afternoon, as Ben sat with a datapad, watching the holonews. He was trying to keep his mind occupied, which was hard. He had always been a thinker, and without a military junta to command, or Jedi training to focus on…

...which left another question for him and Rey to ponder. What about all the other possible Force-sensitive people out there?

“Ben!” Rey said, waving her hand in front of him agitatedly. “Supplies! We need to go get supplies!”

“I…” Ben swallowed thickly, knowing where Rey had to go for supplies. He simply wasn’t ready to face anyone yet - and definitely  _ not _ ready to face Maz Kanata. “I can’t, Rey,” he said, his voice just above a whisper. “I’m not ready to… to face... _ her _ .”

“Well, then,” Rey said, settling into the seat across from him. “I guess we’ll starve together then.” She wanted Ben to go with her, simply because - deep inside - she was terrified he would disappear and she would come back to nothing again. Rey didn’t know if she could handle losing him again. Especially not when he was here with her, looking at her like she was the center of his universe.

“Rey,” Ben reached out across the table to catch her hand with his, and Rey could feel a surge of love and comfort through their bond. She looked up to see his eyes brimming with tears, the area under his left eye twitching as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

“I promise I will be here when you get back. I’m not leaving you. Not again.” Ben shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers. He squeezed her hand, watching as tears came to her beautiful hazel eyes. “I… I couldn’t leave if I wanted to, Rey. You’re like the… the sun. I have to be in your orbit.” Ben’s face flushed as he watched Rey gasp, more tears coming to her eyes. Had he said something wrong? Gone too far? He had always been too emotional, had always felt things so passionately.

“I…” Rey couldn’t help the tears in her eyes at Ben’s words. Of course he would know what she was thinking and feeling. Even now, if she concentrated, she would be able to tell exactly what Ben was feeling. “I’m terrified,” she finally whispered through tears, which were now falling onto her cheeks. “I’m terrified of leaving, and coming back to nothing. When… after Exegol… I was so lost, Ben. It was like half of me had been ripped away. I guess it had been, now that we know the extent of our bond.” Rey squeezed his hand again, and Ben gave her a watery smile in return.

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I promise. Go get supplies, and I’ll see what I can work on… this old rustbucket always needs something looked at.” Ben smirked at the look that came across Rey’s face. She was clearly affronted by the insult, and he felt like his Dad was smiling wherever he was now.

Rey pointed at him with one slender finger, stating, “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.”

Tears welled up in his eyes once more, and his smirk turned into a wistful smile at the memory of his Dad, who had said those words more than once. “That she does.” Ben reached out with one hand to caress the table in front of him lovingly.

After Rey had left, Ben stepped outside, letting his hand caress the hull of the Falcon as he walked around it, tears still threatening to spill. He had so many memories on this ship - so many  _ happy _ memories that the dark had twisted and suppressed for so long. He had so many things to make right with so many people, and the weight of that was enough to make him stop walking to rest his head against the Falcon’s hull, tears dripping onto his cheeks and down his nose.

“Ben Solo!” A familiar voice rang out through the trees and into the clearing where the Falcon had landed, and Ben gulped, swiping a hand over his face to get rid of his tears. He wasn’t ready for this yet - but Maz did what she wanted. She always had, and she always would.

Turning, Ben tried to put a smile on his face as he swiped one hand out in a half wave. “Hi, Maz.”

He watched as the small alien made her way into the clearing, peering at him with large eyes. Her ever-present goggles were perched on top of her head - which was a good thing. Nothing good ever came of things when Maz had them on. She stopped a few feet away from him, looking up at him and tilting her head. “It’s good to see you again, kiddo. Welcome home.”

“Thanks, Maz. What brought you here?” Ben felt his face coloring, and he watched as Maz reached up to pull her goggles down over her eyes. It was always disconcerting, being under her gaze, but he stayed still, watching her as she adjusted her goggles to observe him.

“So, it is true. Rey has brought you home, and your mother’s last sacrifice worked to bring you into the light. I felt it in the Force. You and Rey have been destined to be together your entire life. The Force works through all of us, sometimes in the most mysterious of ways.”

“I know that now. You must need something if you’re here, Maz.” Ben stayed still as the small woman circled him for a moment, watching him carefully.

“It’s so good to see you bathed in the light again, kiddo. Your mother and father, and yes, even your uncle, would be proud of you. I also see the dark within both you and Rey, yet now there is balance. You’ve righted things with what you both have done.”

“I hope so. I have a lot to make up for. A lot of wrongs to make right, and I…” Ben’s voice cracked as he sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t know if I ever can, Maz.”

“I am no Jedi, Ben, but I know the Force. It moves differently now, through everything. It feels… peaceful.” Maz closed her eyes for a moment, letting a smile drift onto her face, and Ben could feel her in the Force. “You and Rey have done this, not just for yourselves, but for all of us.”

Ben worked his jaw as he considered her words for a moment before nodding slightly. How could he argue with someone who had been alive over a thousand years? “It was more Rey than me, but she has taught me so much. She’s truly amazing.”

Maz looked up at him for a moment before pointing a long finger at him, shaking her head. “Do not underestimate yourself, Ben Solo. You both made sacrifices for the greater good of the Galaxy. It was a difficult thing, fighting against the darkness.”

Ben just nodded, and after a moment of Maz looking at him, she said, “I am proud of you, Ben. I know your family would have been, as well. I have something for you and Rey… Leia asked me to hold onto them for you both.” Maz smiled at him, and he gulped again before nodding.

“Let’s get to it then,” Maz said, nodding towards the ramp of the Falcon. “Is my boyfriend with you, by any chance?”

….

Sadness ripped through her as Rey was finalizing a deal for some needed foodstuffs, and she gasped, cold fear gripping her heart as she reached out through their bond. When she still found Ben on the other end, she sent a thought to him.

**Ben? Are you okay?**

Rey resisted the urge to drop everything to sprint back to the Falcon, to Ben. He  _ promised _ he would still be there when she returned, and she believed him. She closed her eyes for a moment as she waited for the shopkeeper to get her supplies, centering herself in the Force and reaching for their twined signatures.

Rey sucked in a breath of air as she caught glimpses from Ben’s visions. The Falcon… Maz… a chest that she recognized immediately… the glint of gold… 

**I’m okay. I’ll be fine, Rey.**

Rey could tell he was upset as she withdrew from the Force, letting out a long breath as the shopkeeper returned with her purchase, and as Rey slid credits across the counter to him, she let a smile drift onto her face.

Finally, she had someone to return home to. As she loaded everything onto a speeder to head back to the Falcon, she couldn’t stop smiling. This was her new reality, her new life, and no matter what, she would always have Ben there with her now. She would have made the same decision - gone through the same trials - a million times, as long as it meant she got to spend her life with him after everything was over.

….

Maz had gone back to her castle, leaving behind several items for both him and Rey, and as Ben sat on the Falcon, the  wroshyr wood chest before him, he wondered if he had the strength to even open it. He worked his jaw as he tried to hold back the tears, knowing that when he opened the chest he would be assaulted with memories.

He had wasted his life, he knew this now. He had turned his back on everyone who loved him, had denied himself a life with Rey until now. He didn’t deserve her, that much was certain.

With a long drawn out breath and a shaky hand, Ben reached out, undoing the latch and throwing the top of the chest open. His heart squeezed in his chest, tears streaming from his eyes with just a quick glance into the chest. “Dad…” he whispered, pulling a set of aurodium-plated dice from the chest. Ben clutched them in his fist, his head tucked into his chest as he sobbed, feeling every wicked thing he had done under the mask of darkness pressing down upon him all at once.

He felt a wave of love and calm wash over him through the bond he shared with Rey, and he could tell she was drawing closer with every moment that passed. Somehow, it made him feel better, knowing she would be here with him soon.

After a few moments of cradling the dice near his chest, Ben set them aside and reached blindly into the chest, his fingers closing around a small holodisc. Setting it on the table in front of him, Ben activated it with the flick of a long finger, watching as a blue image of his mother appeared. Choking back tears, Ben swiped a hand over his eyes to try and clear them as his mother started speaking.

_ “Hello, little starfighter. Oh, I know you’re a man, believe me, but you’ll always be that to me. I know if you are watching this, then my sacrifice worked, and you’ve come back to the light - come back home to us all.” _

Leia shifted in whatever chair she was sitting in before continuing, eyes so like his own looking into the recorder as tears came to her eyes. Ben couldn’t remember ever seeing his mother - the Princess of Alderaan, the Senator, the General - cry, but now she let the tears fall unabashedly as she spoke to her only child from beyond the veil.

_ “Oh Ben… I’m so sorry. I made so many mistakes. I failed you, Ben. I was supposed to help you, to make sure you were safe and happy and… well-adjusted, I guess is the word I want to use. Instead, I sent you off to Luke when you started to scare me - when you became more powerful than I could handle. I never thought Luke would handle things like he did, though. I thought he would have all the solutions” -  _ Leia gave a sad chuckle before continuing - “ _ well, we know how that worked out now, don’t we?” _

Ben laughed sadly through his tears, sniffling and swiping at his eyes once more before his mother continued with her last message to him.

_ “I never stopped loving you, Ben. Not a day passed that I didn’t think about you, that I didn’t hope you would come back to us… come back home where you belonged. The moment I saw Rey, I knew. I knew she would be the one to bring you home, to bring you back to the light. I hope you’re together, Ben, because if there is anyone out there who truly understands you - it’s Rey. Lean on her - she’s stronger than anyone I have ever met. I need to go, son, but know this - I love you, and I have always been so, so proud of you. Remember, no one is ever really gone, and may the Force be with you. Always.” _

Her image faded away, and Ben laid his head down on the table top, sobbing as he cried for the mother he had always loved, and had always wished he could talk to again. 

When Rey returned, she found him in the same position, sobbing so hard it was hard for him to catch his breath. Carefully dropping the foodstuffs onto the floor, Rey went to him, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Ben wasted no time in turning in his seat, pulling her close to him until she was sitting in his lap straddling him, his tears soaking her shirt as he wept.

He cried until his tears were dried up, leaving him hoarse and hiccuping, and still clinging to his soulmate desperately. He had never had anyone to hold him before, and the feeling was greater than he had ever fathomed in his darkest days. Finally, he pulled his head up to look at her, their eyes meeting as Rey’s hands cupped his face gently.

Rey rested her forehead against his finally, and Ben let out a shaky, watery sigh. “Thank you,” he said softly, and Rey let her fingers trace along his skin.

“Anything for you, Ben. Don’t you know that? I… I can’t be without you.” Her fingers stroked his face, and she pulled away from him to look into his eyes again. “We do this all together, or not at all.”

Ben pulled in a shaky breath before nodding. “Together or not at all.”

….

Rey made them food in the nanowave after she and Ben put away what she had bought, working together in silence until it was time to eat. As they sat across from each other, Ben reached out, twirling the holodisc with a long finger as they ate.

“Do you want to talk about that?” Rey asked as she dug into a bowl of Corellian stew. She pointed towards the holodisc, watching as Ben’s eyes teared up again. He stirred the bowl of stew in front of him for a moment before looking up at Rey with a watery smile.

“My mother recorded a message for me, as well as leaving me some things. She… she left something for you too.” Ben swiped a hand over his eyes again, feeling thoroughly exhausted in every way possible.

“Oh, Ben. Your mother - she never gave up on you. She always saw the light in you. She helped me get you back, you know. She and Luke. I couldn’t have done it without them.” Rey reached out, capturing his hand with hers and squeezing it. “Your parents loved you. Both of them.”

“I know,” Ben choked out. “I know they did, and I… I wasted my life, Rey. I turned my back on the people who loved me the most. I took innocent lives for a cause I didn’t really believe in.”

Rey squeezed his hand again before replying, “You had Palpatine in your head your entire life, Ben. He was manipulating and grooming you from birth. I don’t think anyone could resist it, yet you did for a very, very long time. It had to be exhausting. I think, deep inside, your mother always knew it. She always had hope you would come home. Your father, as well.”

“I know.” Ben was still teary-eyed, his voice thick with emotion. “I know what I have to do.” Ben gestured towards the ancient box containing the things his mother had left to him before swallowing hard and continuing, “But I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” The words he had said long ago on Starkiller Base, just before killing his father, hung thickly in the air.

“I’ll help you,” Rey said softly, patting his hand. “Together, or not at all - right?” Rey gave Ben a smile, and watched as he let a small smile come to his lips in return before nodding.

“Together, or not at all,” Ben repeated, and as Rey released his hand, he felt a sense of loss.

“Eat your stew, then we can face whatever is in that box.”

….

They sat together on Rey’s bunk, her thigh and shoulder pressed against his as they looked at the box for a while after eating, neither of them speaking. Reaching out finally, Rey grabbed Ben’s hand, squeezing it gently and looking at him before blowing out a long breath. “Let’s do this. I… I think I am ready.” Rey’s heart clenched in her chest as she thought of Leia and Luke, and she knew Ben felt the same.

It was odd, sharing a soul with someone and having your hearts both beating in time with the other. At first it had been disconcerting, but now Rey found it comforting. She had never had a home before she went to the Resistance, and now… well, now she had a home wherever Ben was. Closing her eyes, Rey centered herself in the Force, sensing that Ben was doing the same. After a few moments, when she could feel their shared heartbeat slow, she opened her eyes and looked at Ben to find that he was staring at her with a soft look in his eyes.

“I love you,” Ben said softly, reaching out with a shaking hand to caress her cheek. “I wish I could have said it a long time ago. I knew it on Takodana, I think. Carrying you in my arms, I felt something inside, something I had never felt before. I’m sorry I wasted so much time, Rey.”

“Oh Ben,” Rey breathed out, taking a moment to let the feeling of their hearts beating in sync soothe her before she continued, her eyes never leaving his. “I have waited to hear you say that to me. I knew you did, how could I not? But to  _ hear _ you say it means everything to me. I love you too.”

Leaning over, Ben planted a soft kiss to her lips, once more relishing the feel of being with his soulmate. They didn’t have to pretend to hate one another any longer, didn’t have to play games. They could just be together - finally.

After a moment where they both basked in the feeling of their hearts beating in time, Rey pulled away, lifting her chin towards where the wroshyr wood chest rested on the table. “Let’s get to it.”

Ben simply nodded before holding his hand up, palm forward as he reached out with the Force to slide the box closer to him. With a long sigh, Ben reached out with long fingers to unlatch the box, pushing the top open and closing his eyes. Rey’s fingers against his cheek brought him back to the task at hand, and he opened them to find her looking at him softly.

Rey dipped her chin ever so slightly, letting him know she was with him no matter what. With a slight nod of his head in return, Ben reached inside the box, his fingers closing over the aurodium-plated dice once more. Pulling them out of the box, he let a sob choke his words for a moment, sniffling before he looked at Rey with a track of tears falling down his cheeks.

“For my entire life, I wanted to have these dice hanging in the Falcon while I piloted it. I idolized my Dad. When I was young, before I went off to Luke’s Temple, I would show everyone these dice and tell them I wanted to be a pilot just like my Dad.”

Rey gave Ben a smile, reaching out to place her hand on his arm. “And now you can hang them in the Falcon. And I might even let you pilot it sometimes.” Rey let her smile widen and winked at Ben before looking back to the box. “What else is in there?”

Ben let out a watery chuckle at his soulmate’s declaration, and reached into the box with a shaky hand, withdrawing it after his hand closed over a small metallic object. He didn’t have to pull it out to know what it was - he could remember distinctly his small hands playing with it as a small boy. Another sob threatened to leave him as he withdrew his hand, opening it to show a beautiful lapis lazuli ring in his palm. The two dark blue stones were joined together in a flowing golden infinity loop. Ben had liked to twist it around his mother’s finger as he had sat in her lap while she read to him at night before bed in those rare times she wasn’t tending to her duties as a Senator.

“Leia’s ring…” Rey said softly as she looked at the ring.

“One of them,” Ben said after a moment of looking at the ring. “I was told that Dad had it made for her as a gift after they got married, since he didn’t get her an engagement ring.” Ben shrugged, running a hand through his hair as his Adam’s apple bobbed with the struggle of keeping his tears at bay. “I used to sit in her lap as a youngling while she read to me, and I would always grab her hand so I could twist this ring around her finger while I listened to her voice. I always ended up falling asleep and waking up in my bed later.”

Rey smiled at him again, her fingers squeezing his arm gently as she watched his face. “You have happy memories, and they will always be with you. No one is ever really gone, Ben. We should know that better than anyone. I know your mother and uncle will come for a visit when they are ready.”

Ben simply nodded before replying, “I know they will. I talked to my mother when I was waiting for you to come to me in the vergeance.” Once more he reached into the box, withdrawing another small object that glistened softly in the palm of his hand.

“Her other ring,” Rey said softly, watching as Ben nodded as he plucked the ring up and moved it so the multicolored stone glittered in the muted lights of the room.

“I always thought this ring resembled some sort of tentacled monster when I was young.” Ben let a half smile come to his face, and Rey leaned in, resting her head against his shoulder as he turned the ring more.

“It’s beautiful, though. Does it have any special meaning besides belonging to your mother?” Rey asked, letting her eyes wander from the ring up to her soulmate’s face, their heartbeat thrumming along in both their chests in time to the other’s.

Ben shrugged. “I don’t know. She had a lot of jewelry, I guess being a Princess and a politician had its advantages.” Reaching back into the box, Ben shook his head slightly as he withdrew a beautiful necklace and matching cuff, placing them both on the table in front of the box. Staring at them, he let out a long sigh before looking over at Rey, who was still leaned against him, her eyes staring at the objects curiously.

The silver chalcedony necklace was formed with fourteen squares, each with a valley of sorts formed in the middle. The cuff was made to match it, and Ben couldn’t help himself - he reached out with a still trembling hand to trace the jewelry for a moment, tears once more streaming down his cheeks as he took in a deep breath before speaking. “These pieces have been in my family for generations. They were crafted especially for the women in the Royal House of Organa on Alderaan. My mother last wore them, I believe, when she gave my father and uncle their Medals of Bravery after the Battle of Yavin. They were one of the only things that survived the destruction of her home… she treasured these.”

“They’re beautiful, Ben.” Rey’s gaze drifted back to his as he reached back into the box, every object revealed making him feel even more raw and fractured inside. He had been so wrong, so angry for so long - and now all he had left was an ancient chest filled thus far with family heirlooms.

He had Rey too, and Ben knew he owed everything to her. She was his sun, and he would willingly orbit around her the rest of their lives.

Rey licked her lips, and Ben let his eyes drift down to them for a moment before he leaned in to press his lips to hers for a sweet kiss filled with promise and more love than either of them had ever felt before. When he pulled away, her eyes were filled with tears as well, and she sniffed once before gesturing towards the box once more, settling back into his side as she remarked, “Let’s finish this, okay?”

Ben nodded his head slightly, reaching back into the chest and pulling out a gilded box, a familiar crest on the front of it. His eyes widened when he slid the top off, revealing a glittering set of jewels, the centerpiece being a large green stone set in gold. “The family jewels. Force.” Rey gasped at the sight, her eyes growing wide as well.

“They’re beautiful. Even the box is beautiful,” she murmured, reaching out to let her fingers drift across the crest on the lid. “What does this represent?” Her eyes met Ben’s again as his face colored, his lips twitching slightly before he answered her.

“Fertility. It’s the Royal crest for House Organa. It’s a representation of a uterus.”

Rey pulled her hand away, her own face coloring for a moment before her eyes went back to Ben’s. “It’s beautiful. You’re lucky to know so much about your family. All this history in one box…”

“You…” Ben stopped and swallowed thickly before continuing, “You are all I have left now.”

Rey beamed at him through her tears and nodded. “We have each other. That’s all we need. There’s no war to pull us apart now. We can just be together, the way it is meant to be. The way the Force wants us to be, has  _ always _ wanted us to be.”

Ben nodded, reaching into the chest again and withdrawing a bundle of holodiscs tied with a ribbon, a slim sheet of flimsiplast slid under the fastenings.

_ Little starfighter, I hope you and Rey show these to your children someday. -Mom _

Leia’s elegant handwriting was one he would recognize anywhere, and Ben examined the holodiscs curiously, noting they each had his name and a year on a label. He could feel his face redden as Rey read his mother’s message, a small giggle leaving her lips.

“Even from beyond the veil she wants to tell us what to do…”

Ben’s lips twitched for a moment before he let out a small chuckle. “That’s my mother, the Senator and General, alright…I’m afraid these discs will have to be destroyed though,” he continued with a twitch upwards of his lush lips. “I simply can’t have anyone else watch them… they are far too embarrassing.”

“Ben Solo! I  _ forbid _ you from destroying these! You have to sleep sometime, you know… and then I will watch them.” Rey had a full grin on her face now, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him.

“Rey…” Ben groaned out, knowing he had already lost. She could do whatever she wanted, and he would gladly let her - even if it was watching old family holodiscs of him as a child.

“No destroying them. Besides… if Leia wants us to show them to our children, we should listen - right?” Rey waited for Ben’s answer, holding her breath. Maybe she had gone too far - they had far too much to learn about the other before they could venture down that road, didn’t they?

“That is a discussion for another day, I think, but my mom generally gets what she wants - even from beyond the veil.” Ben’s face was red as he answered Rey. Did he want a family with her? Yes. But neither of them were ready for a step like that just yet, not when they had just finally gotten to be together.

Rey simply nodded, looking back to the chest. “Anything else in there?”

Ben reached his hand in, withdrawing it with a holodisc and a small envelope, both with Rey’s name written on them in his mother’s perfectly elegant handwriting. Setting them down in front of her, Ben murmured, “These are for you. I’ll step away so you can watch it.” He started to rise from the table, only to feel Rey’s hand close around his arm, stopping him.

“No. Stay. I have nothing to hide from you, Ben.”

Ben nodded, staying seated as Rey pulled herself even closer, her head settling on his shoulder as she wrapped both her arms around his one arm. Ben placed the holodisc in the player, settling back into the chair, moving the arm Rey was gripping so that it was around her shoulders, her head moving to rest against his chest.

Leia appeared over the holopad, her blue holographic image as demure and majestic as she had been in person.

_ “Rey,” Leia said kindly, a small smile gracing her lips as she crossed her hands in front of her, resting them against the desk top that had been in her quarters on the Resistance base. “I hope my son is there with you as you watch this, but I had to have a backup plan. I hope you got to him, Rey. I hope my last act of love to him brought him home - to you - finally. Because I can’t be certain what will happen, and Ben, if you are there, I know you will understand… I leave everything to you, Rey. All the properties owned by me, all the credits - everything. You’ll find everything you need in the envelope, and I know you - and hopefully Ben - will change the Galaxy for the better. Remember to never give up hope. I am sure I will be seeing you again, because no one is ever really gone. May The Force Be With You - Always.”  _ With one last smile, the hologram faded away.

  
  


Rey looked up at Ben, tears in both their eyes as she reached out to grab the envelope, sliding a fingernail underneath the binding to open it. As she slid out several datasticks, she looked over at Ben. “I… don’t understand? We didn’t exactly have this on Jakku.”

Ben looked at the datasticks, giving Rey a small smile. “I recognize a couple of these. This,” he pointed to one slender stick, “Is the datastick for the family estate on Naboo. Varykino.” He pointed to another, smiling as he thought about his childhood home. “This is the datastick for my childhood home on Chandrila. And this,” Ben pointed to another datastick, “would probably contain the information for the banking credits you were left.”

“I… own houses now. Me. I… I lived in an old AT-AT my whole life… then barracks with other people… and now I own houses.” Rey shook her head softly, fingering the datasticks for a moment before looking at Ben. “I… I don’t deserve this. This all belongs to you, Ben. This is your family’s legacy. Not mine.”

“My mother wanted you to have it, Rey.” Ben looked down at her with a small smile on his face. She was so beautiful, even with swollen, red-rimmed eyes and her hair in disarray. He would always think she was beautiful, though. He had thought she was beautiful the first time he had ever seen her.

“I… I have no idea what to do next, Ben. What… where should we go? What should we do?” Rey twirled the datastick around on the table with the tip of one finger for a moment before looking up at Ben. “Whatever we decide…” she finally said after a few long minutes of silence, “We do it together…”

“Or not at all.” Ben said with a nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	6. A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We do it together… or not at all,” Rey whispered, and as she felt Ben nod behind her, she knew that Ben’s words were the truth - that their place was by each other’s sides - and that their home was always going to be where the other was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [emkayadd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emkayadd) for the beta, and [Semperfidani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/semperfidani) for the moodboard!
> 
> 1 more chapter left, everyone! I am so happy you have come along on this journey with me... if only this was the ending we had gotten, huh?

[](https://imgur.com/iQkeqSO)

The hum of the Falcon’s sublight engines was the only sound besides the steady thrum of their heartbeat under her head as Rey woke, her arm thrown over Ben’s chest and one of her legs tangled around his as they lay together in her bunk. She loved watching him sleep, when she could simply let her eyes roam over his face.

He wasn’t what most would consider handsome. His ears were large, his nose too long and his face too angular, his body dotted with moles and beauty marks - but to her, he was the most gorgeous being in the Galaxy. Perhaps it was because she was in love with him, or maybe it was because of the way he looked at her with those expressive chocolate colored eyes of his.

They had fallen into a simple routine. It was easy to do, when you were travelling at hyper-speed on a ship together. They would wake in the morning, and whoever woke first would make a pot of caf. They would share a morning meal together, and then they would train, testing the limits of their bond.

They would share their afternoon meal, and then they would sit together, watching the holonet or reading. Ben had taught her even more languages, and about different customs. He was so smart, and so well travelled and cultured, that sometimes Rey felt bad for him, being bonded to a simple scavenger like her.

“Stop that,” he said one afternoon, after he taught her about the customs of the planet they were headed to - Naboo. 

Rey looked at him, her brow wrinkled for a moment in confusion. “Stop what?” She asked, pulling her head off his arm, where it had been resting, to look up at him.

“You keep thinking you’re not good enough for me. That I would be better bonded to someone who was well travelled and well educated. You’re wrong, though. Do you know how many women tried to get my attention? I never wanted any of them, and now I know why. Because none of them were you.”

Rey just looked at Ben for a long moment before leaning forward, pressing her lips to his. Their kiss was sweet and promise filled, and when she finally pulled away, it was with a smile on her face, her cheeks flushed and their combined heartbeat thrumming in her chest. “I love you, Ben.”

“I love you, too, Rey.” Ben smiled back at her, his own face warm as his heart pounded in his chest. He and Rey had been taking everything so slow, getting to know each other as friends before they became more. Neither of them doubted the love they felt, or the bond between them - but they had time. There was no war to keep them apart any longer.

….

Rey was ready for more, though, as she let her fingers card through his hair gently, not ready to wake him just yet. She knew Ben would be more than gentle with her in every way - the juxtaposition between the way Ben Solo was with her compared to the way Kylo Ren had been was astounding. She loved Ben… but Rey knew without a doubt she never could have felt that way about Kylo Ren.

“What are you thinking about?” Ben’s voice floated through the air to her as he pulled her closer to him. He nuzzled his nose into her hair, something that Rey found so endearing that it almost made tears come to her eyes. For such a large man, such a fierce warrior - he was the gentlest soul she had ever come across.

“You. Us.” Rey whispered in reply, her head fitting perfectly into the space where Ben’s neck and shoulder met. She pressed a gentle kiss to his neck, and she felt Ben freeze for a moment. “Is this okay?” Rey asked, kissing the spot again and flicking her tongue gently against the skin there.

Ben didn’t open his eyes, but Rey could feel his breathing pick up, and the telltale racing of their intertwined heartbeats.

“Yes,” he finally whispered. “Yes, it’s… Stars, Rey. Are… are you sure we’re ready for this? I… I know what I want, but I have to know it's something you are ready for. I don’t want to mess this up.”

“Ben,” Rey let her lips continue a warm trail onto his neck, ending at his earlobe as she let her teeth and tongue graze over the sensitive skin there, “The Force bound us together. We love each other. Isn’t this what normal couples in love do?”

Ben found it hard to concentrate with Rey’s lips, teeth and tongue causing delicious frissons of arousal to wind through his body, his cock stiffening in his sleep pants. “I… I know all that. It’s just… I know you haven’t been with anyone before. I don’t want to hurt you or do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Rey pulled away slightly to look at him, a small, impish grin coming to her lips. “Ben… don’t you think I know by now how to speak my mind if someone is trying to force me to do something I don’t want to do?” Rey leaned in now, letting her lips trail along from his earlobe to his cheek, and as he turned his face towards her she let them settle over his plush lips, her tongue pressing at their seam until he opened them, their tongues meeting in a far more passionate kiss than they had shared yet. It lasted a long time, and when they pulled away they were both breathing heavily.

Rey looked at him lovingly before saying, “I want you, Ben Solo. I don’t care what your head is telling you. I… I don’t care if you… if you’ve…  _ been _ with other people. None of that matters, because that was in the past. Someone once told me to let the past die… remember?” Rey let her hand come to rest on Ben’s chest, and she yearned to let it drift under the shirt he wore to feel his skin under hers. “You think too much, Ben. Just… just  _ feel _ .” Rey let her fingers drift over his face, feeling the contours and blemishes, as well as the softness of his lips. Ben kept his eyes closed, pursing his lips to kiss at her fingers when they touched him. With a smile, Rey rolled on top of Ben, straddling him and letting the smile turn into a grin as he let out a moan.

“Rey…” he whispered as her hands drifted under the hem of his sleep shirt. Her hands were cool and soft as they drifted over his skin, making goosebumps appear in the wake of her touch. He knew that if she shifted down his body slightly, she would be able to feel just how aroused he was.

It wasn’t that he was nervous to be with a woman. He had had sex before, but it was impersonal - in pleasure houses and a few casual flings with women who wanted to sleep with a higher up in the First Order. He had always taken his pleasure from behind them, and never allowed them to kiss him - or even really look at him.

It had simply been the carnal act it had been since the beginning of time, meant to release tension and procreate - if he had ever allowed that to happen - which he was careful not to do.

No, Ben was nervous because this was  _ Rey _ , the only woman he had ever loved, his bondmate. He wanted this to be perfect for her, wanted to feel her tremble beneath him with every touch of his hands and lips on her perfect, soft skin.

He didn’t want to screw this up.

“Take this off. I want to see you,” Rey’s voice was a breathy whisper, and Ben sat up long enough to comply, heeding her wish for him to feel instead of think. Her hands traced patterns on the skin of his chest as she moved along the ridges of valleys of his torso.

Rey watched as Ben removed his shirt, and she instantly set to work, her hands so small against the expanse of his chest. He was simply beautiful, like a piece of art made by some omnipotent being for her eyes only. She traced along the ridges and peaks of his chest, and then she reached down, unwrapping her own sleep shirt from her slender frame and discarding it off the side of their bunk.

Leaning down, Rey kissed Ben’s lips softly, letting her hardened nipples drag over his skin. The feel of his skin, warm and soft against hers had her wet beyond belief, her core aching for his touch as she continued the trail of kisses down his shoulder and onto his chest. As she adjusted to slide down his chest more, she could feel his hard length pressing against her. Shimmying her hips just a little, she heard Ben let out a low groan, and Rey leaned down to place a heated kiss against the patch of hair just below his belly button.

Sliding back up so that she was straddling him once more, Rey reached down and grabbed both his hands with her own, bringing them to her own bare chest so that he was cupping her breasts now. “Look at me,” Rey whispered, and she watched in a daze as Ben slowly opened his eyes, a fire already burning deep within their honeyed amber depths. “I want you to touch me, Ben. I want us to explore each other. Please.”

Rey’s lips and hands on his skin had felt glorious, and the pressure of her core against his length left him aching and wanting more. Then she  _ moved _ against him, and Ben let out a low groan. It took everything in him not to flip them over so he could taste and feel every inch of her beneath him. He resisted though, and as she continued exploring his chest with her lips and hands, her bare skin sliding against his and her breasts creating a delicious friction between them. He resisted whining when she sat back up, but then her hands were catching his and bringing them to her breasts. He opened his eyes, looking at her as he let his thumbs drift over her sensitive nipples.

“You’re beautiful,” Ben said as he let his eyes drift over her for a moment. Rey flushed, her face and chest turning a delicious pink as she looked at him. With a low growl, Ben surged upwards, flipping them so that she was underneath him. Their lips met again, their tongues dancing together once more as they both let their hands explore the other’s bare flesh.

Rey shivered at the feel of Ben’s hands on her breasts, his thumb and forefinger rolling her taut nipple between them as he kissed her. Her own hands drifted over the planes of his chest to his back and then down to the waistband of his sleep pants, her fingers sliding under them as Ben pulled his mouth away from hers to gaze at her hungrily, his voice a low rumble as he asked, “Is this all okay, sweetheart?”

“Ben,” Rey let out a low hiss of frustration at her bondmate, “This is very okay. But I think we both have far too many clothes on.”

Ben stilled, breathing heavily as his eyes burned into hers. He didn’t want to make her nervous or uncomfortable, and he felt a sudden rush of nervousness again, flooding through their bond and causing her to let out a low gasp when she felt it.

“You’re nervous,” Rey replied. “Ben… it’s  _ me _ . Your soulmate. This is completely natural and…”

Ben interrupted her with a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Th-that’s the reason I  _ am _ nervous, Rey. Because it’s you. I don’t want to screw this up like I have screwed everything else up.”

Rey looked at him for a moment before letting out a small giggle. “Ben Solo… I swear. We’re both half naked, we love each other, the Force has bonded us together for eternity… and you’re worried about screwing this up? There is literally nothing - besides making love - that we haven’t done for each other at this point! Just… close your eyes and just  _ touch me. _ Please.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, Rey pulled him down to her for a deep, passionate kiss, finally releasing him when she had to breathe again. “I want to be with you in every way possible, Ben. No matter what. The good and bad. “ Her fingers danced over his skin towards his waistband. Rey let her fingers slide beneath the fabric, and Ben sucked in a breath as she reached his length, her fingers sliding over the taut, engorged skin as she explored him. He caught sight of her tongue as she licked her lips almost hungrily, and Ben let out a low moan, shuddering slightly at the feeling of her hand on him.

“Rey,” he whispered, “Stars, your hand on me feels so good…”

“You’re magnificent, Ben,” Rey whispered back, her fingers continuing their slow exploration of his length. “I never imagined having someone, especially not like this… like you. I want to see you. All of you. Take these off.”

Ben’s eyes never left hers as he reached down, pulling his sleep pants off with as little movement as possible. Rey sucked in a breath as he sat back on the bunk, the low light in the room casting a muted light on his skin as he watched Rey, hoping she wouldn’t decide to stop her exploration of him.

“Force, you’re so beautiful. I’m lucky I get to be with you.” Rey’s voice was barely above a whisper as she let her eyes roam hungrily over his body.

“Rey…” Ben whispered, his eyes simmering as he looked into hers. “I...I want to see you, too. May I?” Ben reached out a trembling hand towards her, and Rey nodded, her eyes mirroring his as he slid his hand under the waistband of her sleep pants now, helping her to slide them off.

Now it was his turn to take her completely in, her eyes moving over her golden skin hungrily. “Y-you’re so beautiful. I… I still can’t believe you want me.” Ben licked his lips, and Rey smiled at him.

“Less talking, more  _ exploring _ .” Rey’s voice was throaty now, and she pulled him down to kiss him her fingers sliding over his length again. He shivered, bringing his own hands to her breasts once more. Licking his lips, Ben finally leaned down, kissing her hard on the lips before leaving a hot trail of kisses down her neck and chest, ending at one of her breasts. He let his tongue paint it with small, circular licks before sucking her sensitive nipple into his mouth.

She hissed in a breath at the feeling, her hand stilling on his cock as she looked up at him. His eyes met hers, his tongue stilling on her swollen nipple. 

“Is… are you okay?” Ben asked, his voice deepened with passion and his eyes dark. Rey let a small shiver of anticipation course through her as she saw the fire burning in them just for her.

“Don’t… don’t stop that. It feels so good.” Rey’s voice was throaty as she licked her lips before speaking, her hand once more taking up its slow stroking of his length. They looked at each other, the tension heavy in the air, their gazes both filled with passion for the other. “No one has… has ever touched me like this before. It’s just… intense.”

Ben took a deep breath in before saying, “Well then… I guess I need to make sure it’s perfect then, don’t I?”

“As if it could be anything other. It’s with  _ you _ . Like it’s always meant to be. Now… get back to work, Solo. You’ve got a couple years to make up for…”

“As you wish…” Ben’s smile lit up his face, and he went back to work, his tongue lapping at first one, then the other nipple as a hand drifted down her body, his long fingers finally reaching the patch of curls at the apex of her thighs. He drew in a heavy breath as his tongue flicked against her nipple one more time before he moved off it with a wet pop, his eyes flickering to hers once more. He leaned down, his lips meeting hers as her small hand kept up its ministrations along his thickness.

Letting a finger slide through her curls as she opened her legs for him, Ben touched his forehead to hers, his breath leaving his mouth in small huffs of air that caressed the skin of her cheeks with heat. “Rey…” he shivered as her hand pumped him again.

“Shh, Ben. I  _ know _ . Just  _ feel _ , okay?” Rey sent a tendril of love and devotion through their bond, and Ben nodded against her forehead, closing his eyes as one thick finger found the entrance to her heat before pressing inside her, his thumb circling over her clit slowly. Her breath hitched in her throat at the intrusion, her body stretching slightly to accommodate the intrusion. 

Ben kept his eyes closed, the dulcet timbre of his voice drifting into her mind through their bond. “Is this okay, sweetheart?”

“More than okay, Ben… can’t you feel it, too?”

Ben had always been a man who reacted before he thought things through - which had served him well as Kylo Ren - the First Order’s enforcer. But he wasn’t that man anymore. Love had saved him, had made him a new person, and without love he wouldn’t be where he was right now.

He took in a deep breath, calming himself and reaching for the bond; their Force signatures were wound so tightly together that you couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. A series of feelings washed over him, pushing him to continue what he had been doing.

_ Love. Desire. Passion. Longing. Ecstasy.  _

“I feel it, too,” Ben spoke through their bond before continuing his slow strokes inside her heat, his thumb applying more pressure to her swollen nub with each pass. He could feel the moisture building with each stroke of his finger inside her, and after a moment of consideration, and listening to his soulmate panting and moaning from what he was doing to her, he inserted a second finger. Rey let out another breathy moan, her free hand reaching out to tangle in his hair as she rolled her hips upwards. Her hand stilled on his cock, but Ben didn’t notice because he was focused on Rey and her pleasure.

She was gorgeous, his soulmate, a beautiful pink flush now covering her sun kissed skin as he worked her towards a climax. His lips crashed down on hers, his tongue seeking entrance, dancing against hers as he kept his fingers moving, finally pulling away to look down at Rey, who was now mewling underneath him, her hips grinding upwards against his fingers. Ben could only watch in awe as he worked her more, and when she finally came undone, it was his name that flew from her lips over and over again, her silky walls fluttering around his fingers.

He helped her ride the secondary waves until her eyes fluttered open, still heavy with pleasure as she smiled at him. Her smile was like pure sunshine to him, and Ben found himself smiling back, leaning in to press his lips softly against hers. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“So are you, Ben… that was  _ incredible _ . But… um…” Rey blushed as she gestured towards where her hand was still curled around his engorged length. “I want to make sure you’re… um… you know.”

Ben leaned down and kissed her again, trailing kisses down to her neck where he said gently, “Do you want me to continue, Rey? Do you want me to make love to you?” Now it was Ben’s turn to blush, the sweet words not ones he had ever said to a woman before.

“I… I want you to, Ben.” Rey reached out to touch his face, bringing his eyes back to hers as she looked in them for several moments. “I want to be with you in every way possible.”

Ben nodded before leaning down, his mouth gentle and demanding as he kissed her. Her hand started stroking him after a moment, and Ben let his hands explore her body once more. Her skin was soft and warm and as he deepened the kiss, he tried not to think about how he could have been doing this years before - if only he had let himself believe that a scavenger girl from nowhere really could be his soulmate.

Now… now he was a different man, in love with a beautiful woman - who - for some reason loved him back.

His hand drifted lower on her body, and then Rey was gripping his hand with hers, pulling his hand to cover hers… her fingers squeezing his cock as she looked at him. “I want you. All of you. You’re thinking too much again, Ben. Feel. Feel me. Feel  _ us _ .”

Rey pulled him closer to her waiting, slick entrance, and once his cock was settled in place, she pulled his hand off hers, wrapping her arms around his neck now to pull him close for another heated kiss.

Ben kissed her back, letting all the passion and love he was feeling seep through their bond into her. Slowly - almost achingly so - he pushed into her, stilling his movements as he felt her stiffen below him. Looking down at her, he thought to her through their bond, “Sweetheart… are you okay? I can… you know… stop…”

She answered him back through the bond without opening her eyes, the fingers of both hands digging into his shoulders. “Ben… no… just give me a minute to  _ adjust _ . You are a large man, you know.”

Ben could feel himself coloring, even as a tiny smirk came across his lips.

Ben leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, letting them trail from her lips to her neck, where he sucked gently at the pulse point he found there. Rey let out a tiny mewl, letting her hips move towards his ever so slightly, and he knew she was ready for more without her saying a word.

He pushed inside her more, letting her slick walls close around him, and that’s when he felt it - their bond was practically singing with happiness. He stilled for a moment, feeling Rey’s joy join with his through their bond, their signatures glowing brightly as he pushed inside her more, until he was fully sheathed inside her, his hips settling flat against hers.

“Ben... “ Rey moaned out his name, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. He brought his lips to hers once more, thrusting slowly inside her as their lips and tongues danced with the others in time to the rhythm of their joined bodies. His pace was slow at first, the tugging of her walls around his cock creating the most delicious friction, frissons of pleasure shooting into every nerve ending in his body.

Their hearts beat in time to the pulsing of their Force bond. Truly, they were one being as they worked towards their peak together. When they reached it, they eclipsed it, flying into the stars at breakneck speed, their soft moans and murmured words of love to each other helping guide them back down to terra firma once more. Ben was breathing heavily as he rolled them over so that they were laying on their sides, face to face. He could feel himself inside her still, his length starting to soften even as Rey leaned close to him to place small, tender kisses on his lips and neck.

They didn’t speak for a long time, instead letting all the things they were feeling flow through their bond to each other. Ben stroked Rey’s hair as she drew slow patterns on his back, their eyes never leaving the others.

The sound of Rey’s stomach growling finally broke the peaceful silence in the room, and Ben let a chuckle leave his lips, Rey’s face coloring as she giggled. “I guess I’d better get you some food. I can’t let my soulmate starve, now can I?” Ben smiled at her before kissing her gently and reluctantly leaving their bed to make sure she was taken care of.

He’d always do that - for the rest of his days. He had vowed that when he’d been nothing more than an essence in the void that was the Vergence Scatter. Rey was his first priority - no matter what. As Ben started preparing food for her - he realized that he was happier than he had ever been in his life.

….

When Ben awoke in their bed in Varykino five days later, it was to find the space next to him cold and unoccupied. He felt through their bond, trying not to panic, and as he found Rey easily he breathed a sigh of relief.

She was nearby, and okay.

Getting out of bed, Ben wrapped a sheet around his hips, tucking in the ends before padding barefoot across the room, to where a large set of doors to the garden veranda were thrown open, allowing the morning sunshine into the room. Ben hesitated when he heard a sniffle coming from his soulmate, who was standing at the railing overlooking the lake. The sun was shimmering off the waves, a gentle breeze blowing her hair and the sheet she had wrapped around her body.

Moving silently, Ben went to her, wrapping his arms around from behind and planting a soft kiss to the top of her head.

Sniffling, Rey said, “I didn’t mean for you to wake up alone. I just… I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.”

“What’s bothering you?” Ben asked, his voice gruff and sleepy sounding, still.

“This… Varykino. It’s… it’s literal paradise, Ben. It’s the most peaceful, beautiful place I have ever seen. Yet… all I can think is how I don’t deserve any of this. This all belongs to  _ you _ , Ben. Your grandmother was Queen. This was her estate. I don’t have any place in this…” Rey sniffled again, and Ben knew she had been crying.

“Yes you do. Rey, your family - even though I know you don’t claim their name - well, your family was one of Naboo’s elite. The Naberries - Padme’s family - they were well off, certainly, but not as well off as the Palpatine’s. And, you know, Queen is an elected position here on Naboo? So, you do have a place here. Besides, my mother left this estate to you, and you  _ are _ my soulmate. Your place is with me, and my place is with you. The Force has given us a gift, Rey. It’s given us each other… and no matter where we go, no matter what we do…” Ben’s words trailed off as he nuzzled Rey’s neck, kissing her pulse point as his arms tightened around her.

“We do it together… or not at all,” Rey whispered, and as she felt Ben nod behind her, she knew that Ben’s words were the truth - that their place was by each other’s sides - and that their home was always going to be where the other was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	7. In The Shadow of Your Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can’t wait to see what the rest of our life has in store for us, Ben. I’m glad I get to go through it with you, and I know that no matter what, we’ll go through it together…”
> 
> “...Or not at all.” Ben finished for her, a smile on his face as he agreed with his wife. He couldn’t wait, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you! This has been a ride, and I am so happy you guys have been on it with me. I hope I give you a satisfying end to my fix-it fic. This the way TROS _should_ have ended, in my opinion.
> 
> Thanks to [nancylovesreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancylovesreylo) for the beta, and [semperfidani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/semperfidani) for the moodboard.

[ ](https://imgur.com/rQdzyZ4)

Rey had many favorite places in the Galaxy now. They had spent a month on Naboo, making love in every room of Varykino...and in the lake and lush meadows surrounding the estate, as well. Ben had taught her how to swim, and they spent long hours lying on a blanket underneath the blanket of stars, talking about their lives before they found each other, and discussing their hopes and dreams for the future.

They went to Chandrila, where Ben had been born and spent many of his formative years. They spent time in his childhood home near Junari Point. They spent more than one night walking the beaches along the Silver Sea, and Ben had taken her to the zoo on Sarini Island and the small, cozy bar in Junari Point.

Coruscant was… overwhelming, and Rey was happy when Ben admitted he was always overwhelmed as well whenever he had to travel to the vast ecumenopolis. They toured the ruins of the old Jedi Temple in Galactic City - and Rey had shivered in his arms recalling the last time she had been to the planet in her quest to bring him back to her.

Going to Yavin IV was hard for Ben, but he told her it was something he had to do - and Rey had agreed. The ghosts of the past that were there for him had to be put to rest once and for all for her soulmate. He had wept as the ruins of the Praxeum had come into view, and Rey had held him to her, kissing his tears away for what seemed like an eternity. When he was finally able to speak, he asked her for a few moments alone, and as Rey waited on the Falcon for him to return, she could only hope the sense of peace that settled over their bond was from him finally coming to terms with everything that had happened here all those years ago.

They had decided to avoid Tatooine, Jakku, Mustafar and Hoth - both of them agreeing that the existence of extreme amounts of sand, snow and lava on those planets meant they weren’t going to be contenders for a place for them to settle down.

Jedha had been a moving place for both of them. The ancient world - which had been a holy place to Force users and home to the kyber crystals used to make lightsabers - had made them both feel closer to the Force than they ever had before, but they both knew that it wasn’t the place they were going to settle.

From Ahch-To to Zeffo they travelled, and Rey came to a conclusion one day as she watched Ben bartering for supplies on Cato Neimoidia - wherever Ben Solo was, was home to her.

After a standard year, they finally decided to make their home deep within the forest of Takodana, not far from the shore of Nymeve Lake. Maz was more than happy to see them again, and assured them both that they were welcome -  _ The Force is happy you are here _ , she’d stated - and Ben and Rey had shared a look as the ancient Pirate Queen got on her speeder to head back to her castle.

The Force, while happy, also had its own ideas about how their life was going to play out. 

The first person arrived three weeks after they did. Rey and Ben had been shocked to see a child walk out of the forest towards their makeshift camp, but both of them could see right away that this wasn’t an ordinary child.

Ent’aele was a Bothan, and very timid at first. Luckily, Ben had dealt with others from his homeworld before, and had quickly put the boy at ease. Ent’aele had explained that the Force had sent him, and that he kept dreaming about Takodana and a great temple that was there. One day, he simply got into his ship and left, letting the Force tell him where to go.

It seemed like they came in droves after that, from every corner of the Galaxy - all sent by the Force to be trained by the Dyad in the ways of the Force. They threw out the ancient hubris of both the Jedi and the Sith, instead teaching their students about using both sides of the Force and maintaining the balance between the two.

Their temple was built quickly, all their students pitching in to help construct their new home, and on the day it was finished, Ben and Rey were married in front of it as their students watched, cheering as their mentors kissed for the first time as a wedded couple.

Their life had turned into domestic bliss that neither of them had ever experienced before. Their days were spent teaching, their nights spent together in their bed, and neither Ben nor Rey had realized they could ever be as happy as they were.

They had a makeshift family in their students, but - more importantly - they had each other.

….

Rey was fast asleep beside him one night, and as he bathed himself in her light and presence wrapped around him in the Force, he drew in a surprised breath as he noticed something off about her Force signature. It was still there, still as good and pure as ever, but now there was  _ more _ to it: three tiny pinpricks of light that were pulsating along with their shared heartbeats.

_ Like stellar nebulas being formed into stars… _ Ben realized after a moment of contemplation.

Life was about to get a lot more interesting, it seemed.

The Solo triplets were born to a lot of fanfare in the academy. Maz was present, after assuring Ben for months that she had seen many, many births in her centuries of life, and she was positive these births would be no different.

She was right, of course. Maz was the wisest person he had ever met.

Ryden Luke, Braxxis Han and Leia Rose were born in the middle of the night, and as their father gazed upon them for the first time - he wept. Rey was right there to comfort him, as she had been since the day she brought him back to life - and even before that.

The Solo kids had lots of attention, and the students of the Academy spoiled them, knowing that the three of them were more than likely as strong as their parents were in the Force.

“Good genetics and all,” Rey remarked as she watched their six-year-old children years later, going through their velocities with a group of young Padawans their age.

“From their mother’s side, I agree,” Ben answered, grinning at her.

Rey just shook her head softly before leaning her head on her husband’s shoulder.

“I can’t wait to see what the rest of our life has in store for us, Ben. I’m glad I get to go through it with you, and I know that no matter what, we’ll go through it together…”

“...Or not at all.” Ben finished for her, a smile on his face as he agreed with his wife. He couldn’t wait, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)
> 
> May The Force Be With You!

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


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